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Revolution midfielder Wells Thompson (center) scored the game-winning goal Saturday night against San Jose. (Photo by CHRIS ADUAMA/aduama.com) |
Soon after the Revolution moved Shalrie Joseph to forward, the Grenadian international set up Steve Ralston for the match’s opening goal. Wells Thompson doubled the lead just a few minutes later, while San Jose prevented the Revs from getting a shutout with a strike in the final minute of the match.
“We knew it was going to be wet and on that surface the ball travels so quickly,” said Revolution head coach Steve Nicol. “It’s hard to explain to anybody. Any pass that is not spot on is gone. So, number one, we knew it was going be like that, but when we get to this stage of the season it’s about results. You don’t get any points for playing silky soccer and losing games, you get points for winning.”
After a poor performance offensively for the Revs, Nicol changed things up early in the second half. Nicol first brought on Sainey Nyassi for Mauricio Castro in the 57th minute. Thompson took over at left midfield and Nyassi moved over to the right. Five minutes later the Revs brought on Pat Phelan for Kheli Dube. Joseph moved up to forward and Phelan came in alongside Jeff Larentowicz at midfield.
“We didn’t hold the ball up well in the first half,” said Nicol. “It was a combination of bad balls, which are hard to hold up anyways, and we could have done a bit better holding it up. We felt if we held it up better the second ball could then go wide and then we could get good balls in the box. The change we made was to try and put their two guys at the back under more pressure, but also to try and hold the ball better. I think it worked.”
It was Joseph’s move up top that would play a big role in the Revs’ first goal. Joseph’s flick-on header at the top of the box found Ralston in the 68th minute. The ball skipped through the defense and Ralston managed to beat Joe Cannon to it and then chip it over the veteran keeper for his seventh goal of the season.
“I was just trying to run off of it,” said Ralston. “Obviously Shalrie makes a big difference. Kheli [Dube] works his butt off up there and was challenging everything, but he just doesn’t have the body to win balls over their center back, who is a big guy. Shalrie was able to do that. He’s able to hold the ball for us and made a big difference. On that specific play I just tried to time it right and get off their center back’s back shoulder. The ball just set up perfectly for me.”
“Once I go up top Ralston is always telling me to flick it on and he’s going to run on to it,” said Joseph. “I try to hold it and I try to flick it on. Earlier on I tried to flick one on and the ground was wet tonight and it skipped too far.
“(Keeper) Matt (Reis) hit a great ball from the goal kick. It just fell perfectly on my head and I just wanted to get a little touch on it and I did. Ralston made that great run right through the defense and it was a great finish for him.”
Six minutes later Wells Thompson made it 2-0 when he got the ball on the right flank from Ralston and cut inside at the top of the box. Thompson sent an impressive curling left footed shot into the far post, leaving Cannon with no chance. The goal was just the second of Thompson’s MLS career and his first this season.
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The New England Revolution have climbed into third place in the MLS Eastern Conference. (Photo by CHRIS ADUAMA/aduama.com) |
“Everyone’s been killing me at practice saying I’m really left footed,” said Thompson. “Stevie [Ralston] ran and jumped on me and said, ‘I told you you were left footed!’ I guess one thing I’ve been trying to do is shoot a little bit more and it worked out, praise God. I’m just happy it went in. [I was] a little bit surprised myself I guess you could say.”
“It means a lot. I’ve been struggling here a lot recently. I haven’t gotten the time I wanted to get, so to have the opportunity to start the past couple games I wanted to show the coaches I’m capable of playing and I can be a starter.”
San Jose got one back in the final minute of stoppage time. Roman Sanchez found an opening in the Revolution defense just a few yards from goal and headed in a cross from Ramiro Corrales.
“I’m very happy that we got the three points again, but the last two games we have given up a late goal,” said Reis. “In the end it could cost us. In order to be a team that is up there and trying to win the championship, we have got to eliminate those little mental mistakes.”
Both teams started the match slowly and it was San Jose’s Arturo Alvarez who looked most likely to score in the opening half. The seventh-year midfielder created a dangerous chance in the 12th minute, dribbling through several Revolution defenders and getting near the penalty spot. Alvarez seemed to have an open shot on net, but Jay Heaps slid in and managed to deflect his shot before the Revs’ defense eventually cleared the ball.
Alvarez had another opportunity in the 35th minute when he cut back at the top of the box to create some space for a shot. Alvarez put a powerful low shot on frame, but Reis was well positioned to make the save.
Larentowicz had a chance in the 54th minute when a deflected cross fell to him about 30 yards from goal. Larentowicz one-timed a shot on frame, but Cannon was there to make a save.
It was Larentowicz again that tested Cannon from distance a about 10 minutes later. This time the Earthquakes’ goalie could only tip the long range effort wide of the net.
The Revs, now alone in third place in the East after their third straight victory, face Kansas City Saturday at Gillette Stadium before going on the road for two games.
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