Revs Play Chicago; Games on ESPN2

Fire Hold Tiebreaker in Battle for Home Field

October 20, 2008

By Nick Williams

Only one thing is certain: the Revolution will face the Chicago Fire in the first round of the MLS Eastern Conference playoffs next week.

The location and times of those games – and who gets home-field advantage – will be determined this weekend. The Revs and Fire, tied in second place in the East with 43 points each, will battle Kansas City and New York, respectively, with the chance to secure second place and home field in the two-game, aggregate-goals series.

Dube-Ralston

Kheli Dube, Steve Ralston and Revs will face Chicago next Thursday in MLS Playoffs. (Photo credit: Joyce Furia)

If the two sides remain tied after Saturday’s game, Chicago earns the tiebreaker between the teams after sweeping the season series.

The league also announced Monday that ESPN2 will televise both games of the Revs-Fire series as part of its Primetime Thursday lineup.

Game One will be played Thursday, Oct. 30, while Game Two will be played on Thursday, Nov. 6. Locations and kickoff times for both games will be announced at a later date.

This is the fourth straight and sixth time in seven seasons the Revs have played Chicago in the playoffs. New England has won four of those times and, in each of the last three seasons, the win over Chicago has vaulted the club to the MLS Cup.

This season, Chicago swept the teams’ three-game series, taking three wins by a combined score of 9-1. With second place on the line this weekend, New England will host Kansas City on Saturday, while Chicago will host New York on Thursday.

The Revs – no stranger to the playoffs – punched their seventh straight ticket to the postseason this fall. The club has played in an MLS-record six straight Eastern Conference Championships and four of the last six MLS Cups, every one ending in a heart-breaking loss.

The Revs will train in Foxborough four times this week before finishing the regular season Saturday against the Wizards. Saturday’s game also marks “Fan Appreciation Night,” which will feature a variety of giveaways. Also, the club’s team awards will be presented in a pregame ceremony.

For ticket information about Saturday’s game or the Revs’ home playoff tilt, call 1-877-GET-REVS.

Return from Revs Play Chicago; Games on ESPN2 to New England Revolution

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