Revolution v. Portland Timbers, 3.24.12

Any soccer team that hopes to compete must have a decent backline. No one knows this better than ex-New England defender and current Revolution head coach Jay Heaps. But already in this young season, Heaps and his troops can’t catch a break when it comes to fielding a consistent backline. Against the Portland Timbers yesterday, Darrius Barnes and newcomer John Lozano were injured and unavailable. Stephen McCarthy, playing this year as a center back instead of a midfielder, was suspended due to last week’s red card against Kansas City. And newly acquired defender Flo Lechner couldn’t play because he needs another medical exam.

As a result, Revs’ captain Shalrie Joseph started at center back against Portland, playing alongside A.J. Soares, Chris Tierney, and Kevin Alston. All too predictably, even that backline couldn’t make it through the game against the Timbers. Alston took a boot to the face around the one-hour mark while attempting to clear a ball in the box, a collision that broke his nose. (New England fans will remember that Alston broke his nose in an early-season game last year as well, against Vancouver.) It was a courageous play by the dependable right back, and here’s to hoping he recovers soon. Despite Alston’s injury, the backline delivered a clean sheet in New England’s first win of the year. (Ryan Guy ably dropped back from the midfield to fill the gap left by Alston.)

The only goal of the day came just thirty seconds into the match. Tierney, flying up the left wing, delivered one of his characteristically dangerous crosses, which was re-directed into the net by French national Saer Sene. Sene delivered his best game so far for the Revolution; I suspect he was fighting nagging injuries during his first two apathetic-looking performances. Against Portland, he routinely dropped back into the midfield, was generally active, and saw a lot of the ball. He nearly set up a second goal shortly before halftime with a good pass to Kelyn Rowe, whose attacking run was foiled by some good defending.

Lee Nguyen also had a notable performance, one that may have left his former employer, the Vancouver Whitecaps, wondering about the wisdom of their decision to release him so quickly. Nguyen looked dangerous with the ball at his feet, for instance splitting two Portland defenders in the box in the 56^th minute and getting off a strong shot on goal. He also passed well, including a good ball to the flag to a streaking Sene in the 10^th minute, and another gem to Alston over the Timbers defense in the 59^th.

But this game hinged on the performance of the defense. New England’s back four were given the task of killing a game for 89 minutes, and they came through. It is true that there were a few breakdowns along the way, for which they probably should have been punished. The Revolution defense left Portland’s newly signed and very strong-looking striker Kris Boyd wide open in the box in the 25^th minute and again (even more egregiously) in the 60^th. But each time Boyd failed to get his header on frame. The fiery Boyd is probably still kicking himself as I type this.

It was fun to watch Boyd battle Soares and Joseph, and I imagine Boyd gained particular respect for Joseph over the course of the game. Joseph had moments of real brilliance in the back, so much so that Heaps is probably toying with the idea of starting Joseph there more often and letting the capable Clyde Simms continue playing holding midfielder. Joseph’s positioning was impeccable on a couple of crucial sequences in the second half, allowing him to intercept a couple of potentially dangerous crosses. In stoppage time, in the final minute of the game, Joseph and Boyd grappled in the box, Joseph looking like a tight end delivering a downfield block on a linebacker. He got the better of Boyd, and Portland wouldn’t get another chance. It was a fitting—and for Revolution fans a very satisfying—climax to a hard-fought, scrappy game.