New England Revolution News Release - www.revolutionsoccer.net
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
NEW BRITAIN, CT -- Goalkeeper Doug Warren made the only save of the penalty shootout, as the New England Revolution defeated USL-2 side Crystal Palace Baltimore, 5-3 on penalty kicks, after 120 minutes of regulation and extra time finished 1-1 at Veterans Stadium in New Britain, Conn. on Tuesday night. With the win, the Revs advanced to their second consecutive U.S. Open Cup Semifinal, where they will meet D.C. United for the chance to play for the tournament title.
United secured its passage to the semifinal round with a 2-1, extra-time victory over the Chicago Fire at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Germantown, Md., also on Tuesday night. New England and D.C. will square off on Tuesday, Aug. 12, at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C.
After goals from New England’s Kenny Mansally and Baltimore’s Dan Lader cancelled each other out over the course of regulation and extra time, Revs midfielder Mauricio Castro struck the decisive penalty, chipping his attempt deftly into the left side of the goal as Palace goalkeeper Brian Rowland dove the wrong way. Warren set up the chance for Castro to win it by diving full stretch to his left to deny Val Teixeira’s well-struck attempt.
Mansally gave New England an early sixth-minute lead with his first career U.S. Open Cup goal. Midfielder Brandon Tyler played a long through ball from just inside the midfield stripe, which split the Crystal Palace defense and put Mansally in alone on Rowland. Mansally faked a shot and rounded Rowland to his left before slotting a shot into the net past a backtracking defender.
The Eagles nearly equalized in the 13th minute, as Matthew Mbuta settled Bryan Harkin’s cross in the box and fired a close-range volley. However, Warren charged off his line and smothered the shot with his chest.
Seven minutes later, Palace did pull level through midfielder Dan Lader. A goalmouth scramble ensued following a corner kick from the right side, and the ball popped to Lader at the top of the box, where he fired a low, left-footed shot through a maze of players and inside the right post.
The Revs almost regained the lead in the 29th minute, as Taylor Twellman’s shot from the left side of the area was saved and Mansally’s follow-up effort on an open goal was looped over the crossbar.
After a quiet opening to the second half, the Revolution had back-to-back chances in the 73rd and 75th minutes. First, midfielder Chris Tierney blasted a left-footed shot from outside the area, which narrowly missed the far upper corner, while Twellman followed up two minutes later with a near miss after he had been set up in the box by Mansally.
Pat Phelan came inches from winning the match for New England in the 89th minute, but his header from eight yards out went just over the crossbar, sending the game to extra time.
The two best chances of extra time fell to the Revs, as Twellman had a dipping, long-range shot saved in the 97th minute, and Tierney’s bending free kick was almost turned into the Crystal Palace net by a Baltimore defender in the 110th minute.
The Eagles were reduced to 10 men just seconds before the penalty shootout, as Sergio Flores was shown a straight red card for a tackle on Phelan.
New England will return to action on Sunday, July 13, when the club will open group play in SuperLiga 2008 by hosting Mexican power Santos Laguna at 8 p.m. ET at Gillette Stadium. The Revs will be participating in SuperLiga throughout the month of July before resuming their MLS regular-season schedule on Saturday, Aug. 9, when they will host the Chicago Fire at Gillette Stadium.
