The Revolution vs. The Fire Live!
It's play-off time in the MLS and FSC is favoring us with the first leg of the Eastern Conference playoff between my beloved Revolution and the Chicago Fire. I've got my lucky Revvies t-shirt on so join in if you're watching.
posted by The Blue Devil @ 1:58 PM
52 Comments:
The Fort looks in good spirits today. Come on, you Revvies!
And we're off!
I'm playing catch up with the teams here. It's Matty Reis vs. John Bush for the goalkeepers battle - a good one.
Chicago is going with an ancient front line of Cauhtemoc Blanco and Brian McBride.
Chicago have been pushing forward in the first ten minutes looking for an early strike.
Blanco knocks a free kick but it's cleared.
Steve Nichol going with the all-African attack force of Dube, Mansally and Nyassi in the absence of Double T.
Oh, that was close. Mansally is chopped right on the edge of the box. It all came from a long ball out of the back from Jay Heaps. CJ Brown was a lucky, lucky boy there. It should have been a pen.
Laurentowicz hits it and it's straight into the wall, with the follow-up also smothered.
No score then in the first fifteen minutes.
McBride is getting far too much space in our area for my liking. He's been off target so far but we can't give him chances.
GOAL! Oh dear, it was a howler from Matty Reis who parried an easy cross right to Jeff Pappa who merely had to tap it in. We're behind.
0-1 Fire.
That goal was certainly coming. We've got to pull our fingers out right now. I want an immediate response.
Sorry, it was Chris Rolfe with the tap in rather than Pappa.
Oh dear - McBride nearly makes it 0-2. Off the post. Very very lucky.
Oh, shut it, Bretos!
Stevie Nichol doesn't look too happy so far.
Unbelievable - as Barnes lines up another Rory Delap style long throw, Bretos asks his partner in crime if he's ever seen a goal scored directly from a throw.
Of course, the answer is no since it's not legal for a goal to be scored without it first touching a player. What a numpty!
A bit more steel from the Revvies in the past ten minutes but we've yet to create a decent chance up front with the half hour mark approaching.
Alston's doing a nice job overlapping on the right.
Everything's flowing through Laurentowicz now.
Dube got loose for once but his shot was well off target.
All the momentum is going in the Revolution direction but we really need a goal before the half to get back on track.
Osei with a sharp drive that scrapes the post. We're knocking on the door.
Alston picks up a yellow card for a high challenge on Pappa.
Into the last few minutes of the first half now...
Nice free kick opportunity here at the death of the half. We need to make this count.
YESSSSS!!
Emanuel Osei with a neat header at the free kick. Brilliant ball in from Mansally. And we're level.
1-1
Half-time: Well, that late goal has really set up the second half nicely. Let's hope that we can keep the momentum going.
The Fire get the second half underway. I'm hoping that their aging squad will tire in the second half, giving our speedy front line some opportunities to gain a first leg advantage.
Barnes with another trademark long throw in.
Dear oh dear, Matty Reis is not having a happy day today. He tries something tricky and ends up giving away a corner.
McBride nearly in there. That was risky.
Referee Toledo is not blowing the whistle for much in this match.
More momentum for Chicago here. A couple of quick corners in succession.
Rolfe hits one from distance but it's collected easily by Reis.
Oh, Dube was nearly in there, but he took too long to collect it.
Nyassi wins a corner on the left. Ball in from Mansally and...
it's cleared out.
Mansally troops off to be replaced by the workhorse Castro.
Twenty minutes left now. We need to press the advantage and take something with us to Chicago next weekend. Now is the time.
Corner in to the far post but two Rev players got into each other's way.
Oh, Pappa hits a rocket that hits the bar but doesn't cross the line. No goal. Phew!
Chicago look the more likely now...
The dangerous Pappa comes off to be replaced by Nyarko.
Another corner for the Revs....
YESSSS!!!!!!
After an almighty scrum, Shalrie Joseph sticks one in the roof of the net. We're in the lead.
2-1!
Fifteen minutes left. We need another goal to be safe.
Oh dear, Shalrie nearly gets himself into hot water shoving a Fire defender. The last thing we need is to lose him for the second leg.
Oh, Nyassi nearly gets the third. A brilliant volley that strikes the outside of the post. Castro has made a huge impact since coming on.
Inside the last ten minutes. A corner to Chicago is cleared out. Nice.
Nasty stuff from Blanco. Should have got a yellow for that.
Justin Mapp coming on for Chicago; Rolfe coming off.
Into stoppage time now. We could really use a late goal.
Full-time: 2-1 it is then. It gives us a slight advantage in Chicago, given our strong defensive record. All to play next weekend.
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