MLS New England Revolution

New England Revolution Update: 16-22

Published on July 16, 2007 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
New England Revolution News Release


FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - The Eastern Conference-leading New England Revolution will host Western Conference leader Houston Dynamo on Sunday, July 22, at Gillette Stadium. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. and the game will be televised live on TV38.

The Revs will conduct four training sessions this week - daily Wednesday through Saturday - to prepare for Sunday's game. All sessions are scheduled to begin at 10 a.m., and will take place on the Lower Practice Field at Gillette Stadium.

Any member of the media who wishes to attend a training session at Gillette Stadium must RSVP to the Revs' Communications office - at media@revolutionsoccer.net - by the close of business the day prior. Also, all media must confirm their attendance for Sunday's match by the close of business on Thursday.

NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION SCHEDULE: JULY 16-22*

Monday, July 16 - OFF

Tuesday, July 17 - OFF

Wednesday, July 18 - Training at Lower Practice Field (Gillette Stadium), 10 a.m.

Thursday, July 19 - Training at Lower Practice Field (Gillette Stadium), 10 a.m.

Friday, July 20 - Training at Lower Practice Field (Gillette Stadium), 10 a.m.

Saturday, July 21 - Training at Lower Practice Field (Gillette Stadium), 10 a.m.

Sunday, July 22 - vs. Houston Dynamo (Gillette Stadium), 4 p.m.; TV: TV38, Radio: WEEI Radio Network; Revs Reserves vs. Houston Reserves (Gillette Stadium), 6:30 p.m.

NOTE: Head coach Steve Nicol and assistant coach Gwynne Williams will be traveling to the MLS All-Star Game with players Shalrie Joseph, Michael Parkhurst and Matt Reis on Tuesday, July 17 ... Revs assistant coach Paul Mariner will remain in Foxborough to lead training Wednesday through Friday ... the full staff and team will be reassembled in Foxborough on Saturday, July 21.

*subject to change

NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION (7-3-5, 26 pts.) vs. HOUSTON DYNAMO (10-5-3, 33 pts.)

NEW ENGLAND VS. HOUSTON SERIES INFORMATION

- New England and Houston have met just three times in the overall MLS regular-season series, with the Revs holding a slight edge with a 1-0-2 mark against the Dynamo.

- New England earned the first win in the series by either team in the last meeting, taking a 1-0 win in Houston on May 19 ... Shalrie Joseph scored in the ninth minute to give the Revs an early lead

- The teams played to a 1-1 draw in their only meeting in Foxborough, on July 22, 2006 ... New England is 1-0-1 in games played in Houston

- The teams met in last year's MLS Cup, where the Dynamo won the title behind a 4-3 victory in penalty kicks after the teams played to a 1-1 draw after extra time

PLAYER NOTES VS. HOUSTON

- Shalrie Joseph scored the game-winning goal against Houston on May 19, a 20-yard strike off a deflected cross to help seal the Revs' first-ever victory against Houston.

- Steve Ralston has scored the only other Revs goal against Houston, a tally last year on May 27 at Gillette Stadium ... the Revs benefited from an own goal in the game played in Houston on July 22, 2006.

- Pat Noonan and Andy Dorman are the only Revs players to earn assists against Houston

- Matt Reis is 1-0-2 against Houston with an 0.67 goals against average and 13 saves in three games.

LAST MEETING

MAY 19, 2007 - Robertson Stadium (Houston, Texas) Shalrie Joseph scored in the ninth minute - a scorcher from outside the area after Steve Ralston's cross in to Taylor Twellman was deflected out to Joseph - and the Revolution held on to earn a 1-0 victory on May 19, 2007 at Robertson Stadium ... the win extended New England undefeated streak to a season-best seven games ... the Revs were out-shot 11-3 in the game, and Matt Reis - in his third shutout of the season - twice stopped Ricardo Clark in the second half on prime chances.

NEWS & NOTES

HALFWAY POINT

Halfway through the 30-game MLS schedule, the Revs once again sit atop the Eastern Conference standings with 26 points and a 7-3-5 record ... the Revs are second in MLS in points per game - behind Saturday's opponent, Houston, which has 33 points through 18 games - and also have suffered the fewest losses in the league this season ... the Revs enter the second half of the season tied with D.C. for MLS' most-potent attack, averaging 1.73 goals per game ... New England also has registered the league's third-lowest goals against average (1.13) through the first 15 games.

REVS HEADED TO ALL-STAR GAME

A trio of Revolution players will represent the club at Thursday's MLS All-Star game in Commerce City, Colo. ... goalkeeper Matt Reis, defender Michael Parkhurst and midfielder Shalrie Joseph were all voted to the 18-man roster that will face Scottish giant Celtic FC at 9 p.m. ET, at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on ESPN2 ... Revs head coach Steve Nicol will lead the MLS All-Stars, and he will be joined by New England goalkeepers coach Gwynne Williams in Denver, as well as Houston assistant coach John Spencer ... other members of the Revs' staff - Director of Soccer Mike Burns, head athletic trainer Wayne Penniman and equipment manager Brian Banfill - will also join the coaching staff in Colorado for the game and be part of the gameday staff.

REVS ADVANCE TO OPEN CUP QUARTERS

After earning a 4-2 victory over the Rochester Rhinos (USL-1) on Tuesday evening, the Revs have moved on to the quarterfinals of the 2007 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup ... the Revs will host the Harrisburg City Islanders at Gillette Stadium on Wednesday, Aug. 8, at 7:30 p.m. ... the Revs' quarterfinal appearance is the team's second in as many seasons and fourth overall ... Harrisburg plays in the United Soccer Leagues Second Division, and is one of two USL-2 clubs still remaining in the Open Cup bracket.

RESERVES BACK IN ACTION

After more than a one-month break in action, the Revolution reserves return to the field at 6:30 p.m., on Sunday, July 22, when they face the Houston reserves immediately following the teams' first-team game at Gillette Stadium ... the Revs' reserves enter the game with a 4-2-0 record, while Houston's reserves come in with a 2-1-1 mark.

TIGHT EASTERN CONFERENCE

There is little separation in the Eastern Conference at the season's halfway point ... a total of four points separate the top five teams in the conference, with a two-point spread between first and fourth ... the Revs sit atop the standings with 26 points, while second-place Kansas City has 25 points ... D.C. United and the New York Red Bulls are tied for third with 24 points, and fifth-place Columbus is still close with 22 points.

RALSTON CLAIMS MORE RECORDS

With his assist on Andy Dorman's game-winning goal at New York on July 14, Steve Ralston claimed the MLS career assist record as his own ... with the helper, he recorded his record 115th career assist, putting him past former Tampa Bay teammate Carlos Valderrama who had 114 in his career ... Ralston also moved into a tie with Valderrama for first place on the MLS career list for game-winning assists, as both players now have 33 ... Ralston also owns the MLS career records for appearances, starts and minutes.

RALSTON'S ROLLING THIS SEASON, TOO

Despite missing two Revs games while with Team USA, Steve Ralston is also atop the MLS assists leader board with eight in 13 games, one assist ahead of Columbus' Guillermo Barros Schelotto, who has seven ... Ralston's eighth assist this season helped him claim the MLS career assist record ... his eight assists matches his highest single-season total since the 2004 campaign when he also recorded eight with the Revs ... his best single-season mark was 19, which he registered in 2002 in his first season with the Revolution.

DORMAN'S DYNAMITE

Andy Dorman has scored more goals in the first half of this season than he did in the Revs' full 32-game schedule last year ... with his seventh goal of the year - scored at New York on July 14 - Dorman pushed his season total to seven, a single-season best for the English product ... Dorman's previous single-season best was six, which he recorded in 32 games last year ... in the Revs' last five games, Dorman has been scored four of the team's five goals ... Dorman now has 17 goals in his four-year Revolution career, ninth on the club's record books ... entering this weekend's MLS action, he's tied for fourth in the league in goal scoring this year.

HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE

With a 1-1 come-from-behind draw against Chivas USA on Saturday, July 7, New England moved its home record to 3-1-3 on the season with 17 goals scored (2.43 goals per game) ... the Revs have scored three or more goals in five of their seven home games ... New England's 2.43 goals per home game is MLS' second-best home scoring average, behind D.C. United (2.63).

GILLETTE STADIUM IS REVS' HOME "TURF"

The Revs are now undefeated - 3-0-1 - in their home games played on the FieldTurf Monofilament System installed at Gillette Stadium last November ... although the Revolution has played seven home games, three were played on a natural grass surface that was laid for several international games played between May 26 and July 16, including the CONCACAF Gold Cup ... the team's results on the different surfaces at Gillette Stadium is remarkable, going 3-0-1 and out-scoring opponents 11-2 on the FieldTurf, while posting a 0-1-2 mark with a 6-7 goal deficit on the temporary grass ... overall this season, the Revs are 4-0-1 in games played on artificial surfaces.

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