The New England Revolution heads south this week for their ESPN Primetime Thursday match-up against the Houston Dynamo. Both teams find themselves at the top of their conferences, but missing familiar faces during Week 12 for World Cup qualifiers.
When the Dynamo last met the Revolution at Gillette Stadium in March, their 2007 MLS Cup victory provided little comfort for the 3-0 beating they took. Significant changes in the Revs’ starting XI had taken place, and though coach Steve Nicol was confident in his men, the home fans were able to breathe a collective sigh of relief by the 15th minute. Sainey Nyassi’s combination of speed and stepovers saw him up the right flank, his through ball connecting with fellow Gambian Kenny Mansally and then captain Steve Ralston for the finish. It was a showcase of just how potent the youth and veteran combination could be for New England.
Houston goalkeeper Pat Onstad was certainly feeling the heat, despite the New England winter weather. He managed to block Jeff Larentowicz’s signature rocket shot off a quick restart, only to have Adam Cristman head the rebound home in the 32nd minute, denied Cristman later on a 1-on-1, and allowed Sainey Nyassi’s Week 1 Goal of the Week in stoppage time.
To be fair, the Orange took a similar 13 shots (5 of which were on goal); however, only one of which managed to make the FSC highlight reel. It was a Stuart Holden header off a cross from Brian Mullan, which Matt Reis’s diving save cleared.
A few notes:
- Being the first game of the season, Houston probably didn’t know what to expect from the new faces on the New England squad. The Revs have never been known for their speed, but this year’s youth have certainly brought just that. Given that this is now mid-season, expect the Dynamo to be a little more prepared.
- Also, the weather had to be tough for Houston. It was easily 30° warmer on the other side of that plane ride in March. Lucky(?) for the Revs, they had a few days of 100+° weather to acclimate to before their departure.
So back to Week 12. The injury report and list of international absences reads more like a team roster; there’s a whole side in there! For Houston, Wade Barrett is questionable with an adductor strain, and forward Brian Ching, withdrawn forward Dwayne De Rosario, and goalkeeper Pat Onstad are all away on national team duty. Good news for the Revs. Bad news for the Revs? Kenny Mansally, Shalrie Joseph, and Khano Smith are also gone for World Cup qualifiers. And Gary Flood, who has filled the hole left by Larentowicz on occasion, is listed as doubtful with an ankle sprain. Joseph’s absence is huge, and it will be interesting to see how the team adjusts.
My prediction? Houston was off to a slow start, but seems to have found a formula that works. That said, they’re missing three of the largest components. New England is on a five-game unbeaten streak and has never lost to Houston during the regular season. To me, this game is a test of Steve Nicol’s favorite word this season: Depth. 1-0 New England.
