Revs Advance To SuperLiga Final After Penalty Shootout Victory

August 4, 2010

By Sean Donahue

FOXBORO, MA. - The New England Revolution defeated Mexico�s Puebla F.C. 5-3 on penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw in regulation time to advance to the SuperLiga Finals for the second time in three years. Kenny Mansally scored early into the second half to give the Revs the lead, but the team gave it right back two minutes later. Neither team was able to capitalize on numerous chances late in the game, so the match was decided on penalty kicks in which Mansally scored the clinching penalty.

Both sides scored their first three penalties with Shalrie Joseph, Matt Reis, and Chris Tierney converting for the Revs. Pat Phelan then scored the next one for the Revs and Reis managed to save Edgar Lugo�s weak effort, setting up Mansally�s winning shot on the next kick.

Kenny Mansally scored the Revs lone goal in regulation time and converted the winning penalty kick on Wednesday (Photo by CHRIS ADUAMA/aduama.com)

�Each [penalty] I got a little bit closer,� said Reis. �First one I went the wrong way, but all the rest of the ones I was getting closer and closer. [Lugo] kind of stutter stepped, so I just tried to stay as long as possible. We were taking great penalties. I think everyone hit really, really good penalties. In this situation that�s what you need, so it only takes one save.�

�I don�t think their goalie got near any of [the penalties],� said Revolution Head Coach Steve Nicol. �But we should have wrapped it up before that. We�ve had probably four chances that should have been put away.�

Kenny Mansally gave the Revs the lead in the 55th minute after getting the ball from Shalrie Joseph. Mansally held the ball up at the top of the box and placed a shot into the lower corner to give the Revs the lead.

�The first thought was to pass it back to Shalrie,� said Mansally. �When I make the fake then I looked up and saw the goalie was standing far post. Then I try to spin it.�

Puebla got the equalizer just two minutes later through Andres Olivera. Olivera played a give and go with Gabriel Pereyra at the top of the box and slotted it past Matt Reis at the near post. The Revs defense argued Pereyra handled the ball trying to control it, but referee Roberto Moreno waved off the protests.

�It shouldn�t have been a goal,� said Nicol. �It was hand ball [on Pereyra].�

The Revs started the match with four changes from the line-up that drew 1-1 in Philadelphia last weekend. Seth Sinovic, Joseph Niouky, Khano Smith, and Kenny Mansally got the start in place of Cory Gibbs, Pat Phelan, Chris Tierney and Zack Schilawski.

Gabriel Pereyra had Puebla�s first chance of the match in the 4th minute. His free kick was cleared out, but sent right back into the box. Pereyra got it in the left side of the box and took a step forward before sending his effort just wide of the far post.

Two minutes later Joaquin Velasquez had a chance, when he got an open header off a Puebla corner kick, but his effort was just high of the crossbar.

The Revs first opportunity came in the 13th minute on a free kick about 30 yards out. Marko Perovic, who had four goals in the last five games, stepped up to take the free kick, curling it to the near post, but it was well saved by Edgar Hernandez.

A shocking error by Hernandez went unpunished in the 25th minute when the goalkeeper was quick out of his box, but missed the ball. Instead Hernandez, the last man back, blocked Kenny Mansally�s path to the ball, but no foul was called by referee Roberto Moreno.

The Revs were forced to make a substitution in the 33rd minute as Perovic went down with a left calf strain and was replaced by Schilawski.

Felix Gonzalez nearly struck for Puebla in the 38th minute after getting the ball near the penalty spot. Gonzalez blasted a shot on frame, but Emmanuel Osei slid in to block the shot.

Substitute Edgar Lugo had a great chance in the 53rd minute after the Revs failed to clear a corner kick. The ball fell to a wide open Lugo, who powered a shot on frame, but it was well saved by Reis.

Schilawski nearly scored for the Revs in the 54th minute, getting the ball off a Mansally corner kick. Schilawski�s shot beat Hernandez, but was blocked on the line by a Puebla defender.

Mansally should have put the Revs back in the lead in the 60th minute after Joseph Niouky stole the ball off a Puebla defender just outside the box and passed it to a wide open Mansally. The Gambian�s effort beat Hernandez, but went just wide of the post.

�I tried to spin it again, the way I scored the first goal,� said Mansally. �Unfortunately it went wide.�

Sainey Nyassi created a dangerous chance in the 65th minute, getting down the right flank and sending a perfect cross into the box. His cross found a wide open Schilawski just a few yards from goal, but with almost the entire net to shoot at, the rookie forward sent his effort wide of the far post.

Lugo had another chance 9 minutes from full time off an Orlando Rincon cross. Lugo�s header from close range was powerful, but right at a well positioned Matt Reis who made a comfortable save.

Reis came up huge in the 87th minute, coming off his line to stop a Puebla breakaway and grab the ball off the foot of a Puebla forward.

Mansally had another opportunity in the 89th minute, this time getting the ball from Tierney and volleying a shot on frame that Hernandez tipped just wide.

In stoppage time it was Mansally again getting on the end of a long cross, but his downward header bounced over the bar.

�We missed three really good, quality chances and if we scored two of those, the game is on ice,� said Reis.

The Revs move on to the SuperLiga final, where they will face the winner of tomorrow night�s semifinal between the Houston Dynamo and Monarcas Morelia. The final will at Gillette Stadium, where the Revs won the SuperLiga title over Houston in 2008, on either August 24th, 25th, or 26th.

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