New England Revolution v. Columbus Crew, 9.5.12

The Revolution ended a franchise-record ten-game losing streak tonight by beating the Columbus Crew 2-0 at Gillette Stadium. New England dominated the game, attacking even while protecting a lead, taking twenty shots to Columbus’s seven and nine corners to Columbus’s three.

What to me was far more impressive and refreshing than the victory was the lively manner in which New England played. Imposing striker Dimitry Imbongo, who was so peevish in defeat last month against Kansas City when barking at teammate Fernando Cardenas, played well and without complaint against the Crew, scoring the game-winner in the 53^rd minute off a rebounded Diego Fagundez shot and applying the pressure that led to a Crew own-goal in the 74^th. Even the normally fiery and scowling Jay Heaps seemed to enjoy himself on the sideline well before the game was in hand. He laughed with his assistants after a Kelyn Rowe shot skied over the crossbar in the 47^th minute and gave Blake Brettschneider a robust, encouraging slap on the back before sending him on in the 78^th. I mentioned last month that the Revolution needed to go out and have some fun, and by God they did tonight.

What’s more, the Revolution beat the surging Crew (undefeated in their last six matches) with an improbable starting lineup that included not only Imbongo and Fagundez up top, but Darrius Barnes and Flo Lechner on defense. In addition, Kevin Alston switched from his normal position of right back to play on the left. Usual starters A.J. Soares, Benny Feilhaber, and Chris Tierney started on the bench, and only Tierney got off it. He came on in the 73^rd minute to play midfielder, notching his 100^th MLS appearance. The reliable and versatile Tierney played a part in the second goal, flicking a long ball from Matt Reis towards Imbongo that Chad Marshall inadvertently headed over his own keeper and into the Crew net.

Speaking of Reis, he had another impressive performance and recorded his second straight shutout. His effort against the Crew wasn’t quite as spectacular as his effort against Philadelphia on Saturday, but then again it didn’t have to be. The New England back line was excellent all around, though Darrius Barnes perhaps deserves special mention. Barnes’s solid play at center back in the last two shutouts will make it hard even for a player of Soares’s quality to regain his position in the starting lineup. Of course, that’s just the kind of dilemma Heaps wants to face.

It should be noted that Soares has whiplash and was listed as probable for this game. Feilhaber, on the other hand, is not suffering from any injury that I know of. It may bode ill for him that the Revolution played their best game in two months and he didn’t get off the pine due solely to a coach’s decision.