Revs, Wizards Scrap to Scoreless Draw

Reis Makes 11 Saves to Preserve Point for New England

By Sean Donahue

July 12, 2009

FOXBORO, Mass. -- Matt Reis had a career game, making 11 saves and denying Kansas City on some clear goal-scoring opportunities as the New England Revolution drew 0-0 with Kansas City at Gillette Stadium Saturday.

The draw keeps the Revs (4-5-5, 17 points) stuck in sixth place in the MLS Eastern Conference.

Kevin Alston

Kevin Alston and the Revolution defense kept a clean sheet Saturday against Kansas City. (Photo by CHRIS ADUAMA/aduama.com)

The Revs were once again shorthanded. The late scratch of Amaechi Igwe added to their problems and captain Steve Ralston, himself making a return from injury, had to fill in for Igwe at left back. The Revs had only 16 players available for selection due to injuries, Wells Thompson�s suspension from yellow card accumulation, and Jay Heaps�s national team call-up.

�As far as effort and attitude is concerned I can�t ask for anymore than that,� said head coach Steve Nicol. �Certainly some of the decisions we made during the game weren�t the best, whether it was defensively or attack wise, but we got a bunch of babies playing as well. It�s easy for us to sit on the side and want them to do this and do that, but they don�t know.

�That takes time and unfortunately when you are in the wrong spot then it puts added pressure on you. If you are going forward and then they break on you then it�s a long way back. [There�s] just a lot of stuff that we can do better, but a lot of stuff that we just got kind of found out with the lack of experience that we have.�

Kenny Mansally should have given the Revs the lead in just the 2nd minute. Kevin Alston sent a nice cross into the box that Kheli Dube got a head to, but could not direct on frame. His header deflected off a Kansas City defender and fell right to a wide open Mansally about 10 yards from goal. Mansally hit a powerful low shot, but it was right at goalkeeper Kevin Hartman, who made the easy save.

Reis came up big in the 21st when Michael Harrington dribbled into the right side of the box. Harrington beat the defense, but was forced into a tight angle by an onrushing Reis, who made the save.

Kansas City had another great chance in the 28th minute off a horrible giveaway by Emmanuel Osei. Osei�s bad touch in the back fell right to Josh Wolff, who was charging forward. Wolff, one on one with the Reis, put a shot on frame, but the Revs� keeper was quick off his line and made the save.

Dube had a chance a minute later, when Jeff Larentowicz sent a perfect chipped pass to the far post. Dube attempted to redirect it on frame, but his effort was just wide of the target.

Lithuanian striker Edgaras Jankauskas made his second appearance of the season since signing this month, entering the match at halftime for Dube.

�He�s a big boy,� Larentowicz said of Jankauskas. �He�s a smart player and he causes trouble for defenders. It think today was a little tougher for him than it was in Los Angeles, just because of how we had put L.A. on the back foot so much. Kansas City did a little better job of handling it. They�ve got some good tough defenders, but he�s a good player. He�s only going to improve as he gets to know us better.�

Reis was forced into action in the 54th minute when Claudio Lopez got the ball at the top of the box and took a touch to create some space before sending a low shot towards the near post. Reis did well to make a diving save and hold on to the ball.

Reis came up big again in the 64th minute when Herculez Gomez sent a good cross to Jack Jewsbury at the six-yard box. Jewsbury put a powerful header on frame, but Reis managed to make a diving save to deny the effort from pointblank range.

Just a few seconds later Jewsbury had another chance when he was played in alone on goal from a well weighted through ball, but again Reis was quick off his line and made an impressive save.

The Revs had a great opportunity in the 75th minute off a quickly played free kick. Mansally got the ball at the top of the box and sent in a cross to the far post. Jankauskas was there, but couldn�t get his effort on target. The shot rolled towards the other post, where Nico Colaluca slid in, but saw his attempt go wide of the open net.

Reis again preserved the tie in the 79th. First, Reis managed to tip a close-range flick from Wolff off a Lopez cross just over the bar. On the ensuing corner kick Reis denied a powerful diving header from Gomez.

�Good day at the office for him,� said Nicol of Reis�s performance. �You talk about goalies staying tall and staying big and he did that all day. He always looked comfortable and he made the saves. He was big today, but it�s something we know he�s capable of and something we expect from him.�

�We�re at a point in the season right now where we need three points,� said Reis. �With all the changes and all the players being out we have to make sure we aren�t allowing teams to score because we are having trouble scoring right now. You are at home, hopefully you wouldn�t have to make 11 saves, but it�s nice to be able to help the team out.�

Kansas City was forced to play down a man in the 81st minute when Lance Watson was ejected for a late slide tackle on Colaluca.

Despite the man advantage, the Revs failed to truly threaten Hartman the rest of the match and had to settle for the scoreless draw.

The Revs return to SuperLiga action Wednesday when they take on the Chicago Fire in the semifinals at Gillette Stadium.