Season Over for Revolution

Depleted New England Falls to Chicago, 3-0

November 7, 2008

By Sean Donahue

The New England Revolution fell, 3-0, to the Chicago Fire on Thursday night, ending the team's faint postseason hopes and closing the door on a marathon 2008 season that ended more in a stagger than a sprint.

Missing Steve Ralston, Taylor Twellman, Adam Cristman and Khano Smith going into the match, the Revs suffered a huge blow in the first half when Jeff Larentowicz was forced to leave the field with a possible broken ankle.

Chicago took the lead just before half time and continued to build on it in the second half while the Revs tried to claw their way back. The loss marks the first time the Revs were eliminated before the Eastern Conference Final since Steve Nicol was in charge.

Shalrie Joseph

Shalrie Joseph and the Revs lost to Chicago, 3-0, ending their season. (CHRIS ADUAMA/aduama.com)

Chicago nearly took the lead in the 4th minute off a Cuauhtemoc Blanco corner kick. The ball was played in to Chris Rolfe near the top of the box, who took a step forward before drilling a shot towards the near post. His shot beat 'keeper Matt Reis, but was cleared off the line by a well positioned Michael Parkhurst.

The Revs suffered a major blow in the 37th minute when John Thorrington took out Larentowicz with a horrible tackle. Thorrington's late tackle came in on Larentowicz's right ankle and Larentowicz was forced to leave the field, with rookie Pat Phelan coming in as a sub.

The Revs had their first real opportunity in the 43rd minute off a Mauricio Castro corner kick. Shalrie Joseph rose above the defense to get a header on frame, but Crew 'keeper Jon Busch was there to make a save.

Chicago took the lead just seconds before half time. Blanco got the ball of a throw in and sent in a low shot from distance. Reis got a hand to it to keep it out, but Chris Rolfe got to the rebound and slotted it into the empty net for the 1-0 advantage.

Chicago doubled their lead in the 49th minute after earning a free kick on the left side of the box. Blanco and Justin Mapp both stepped up to take the kick. Mapp ran forward and sent in a cross, when Wilman Conde rose above Phelan to head it past Reis and give Chicago a 2-0 lead.

Busch came up big in the 58th minute, when Sainey Nyassi rand down the left flank and made some space at the top of the box. Nyassi sent it to Kenny Mansally, who took a step before sending a low shot to the far post. Busch got just enough on it to tip it wide for a corner kick.

Gonzalo Segares put the game out of reach in the 74th minute when he made a run up from his left back position and got the ball from Rolfe. Segares hammered it into the back of the net past a helpless Reis to make it 3-0.

The night got worse for the Revs in the 84th minute, when Chris Albright came in from behind and fouled Blanco and earned his second yellow card of the night and subsequent ejection.

After ending Game One in a scoreless tie, the Revs lose the two-game aggregate goals series, 3-0. It marks the first time in seven years that the Revolution has not reached the Eastern Conference Championship, as the club played in a record six consecutive conference finals from 2002-07. The loss also broke a stretch of three straight years in which the Revs eliminated the Fire from the playoffs (2005-07).

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