Jones, Bunbury Carry Revolution To Crucial Road Win
Sunday, November 23, 2014
The New England Revolution took the field at Red Bull Stadium in the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since head coach Jay Heaps was playing for the Revolution in 2007. They brought a huge contingent of Revolution faithful with them to New York and came away with a huge 2-1 win in the opening leg of the series behind goals from Teal Bunbury and Jermaine Jones.
The Revolution opened action early as they nearly found the opening goal in the 4th minute. The Revs got a beautiful, curling free kick from about 45 yards off the foot of Chris Tierney and into the middle of the box. The free kick found the head of Jermaine Jones who put a strong header on frame, but Luis Robles came up with an unbelievable diving save to prevent the early score.
The Red Bulls came right back and pressured Bobby Shuttleworth. In the 7th minute, the Red Bulls got Lloyd Sam free on an attack before he fired a screaming shot low on Shuttleworth. Shuttleworth went low to his right to make the save and keep the score level at 0-0.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTIt was not long after that save when the Revolution found the opening goal on a beautiful goal off the left foot of Teal Bunbury in the 17th minute. Bunbury got the ball out side the box from Jermaine Jones before making a great move on the defense to free up space and curl a left-footed shot inside the far post for the 1-0 lead. Bunbury got his second goal of the playoffs while Jones picked up his second assist. This goal helped the Revs take the 1-0 aggregate lead with a 1-0 away goals lead in the tie breaker.
Less than 10 minutes later, the Red Bulls found their offense and tied the game off a header from Golden Boot winner Bradley Wright-Phillips. The goal was not the most impressive part of the play, however. The play started when the Red Bulls won a great challenge from the Revs at midfield. The ball quickly got pushed forward to Peguy Luyindula. Peggy took a low-angle shot that was turned away by Shuttleworth — but Peguy was not done as he took another shot from his back which hit the woodwork. The ball bounced off the line but Wright-Phillips was there to head home the goal and level the game at 1-1.
The Red Bulls almost pulled ahead during stoppage time of the 1st half when Thierry Henry put a perfect cross into the box, right on the head of Wright-Phillips. The header sailed just high of the open portion of the net and the game stayed 1-1 into the 2nd half.
The Red Bulls opened the 2nd half with momentum, again almost finding the net in the 52nd minute. This time the shot came from Henry from outside the box. Shuttleworth was able to stop the shot but left a huge rebound out for the Red Bulls. Sam pounced on the rebound but pushed out off the side of an open net.
The Red Bulls kept the pressure forward on the Revs when Wright-Phillips put another strong shot on frame in the 58th minute, but again Shuttleworth was there for the save.
The Revs finally got their first good chance of the half in the 72nd minute when Robles left a big rebound up in the air. Jermaine Jones tried for the header but pushed it high of the frame, despite an open net.
Jones did find the net 10 minutes later, however. The play was made on a good run up the middle of the field by Lee Nguyen. He sent a pass to the far side where Teal Bunbury took one touch before finding Jones all alone in front of the Red Bulls net for a goal. Jones picked up his first goal of the playoffs while Bunbury got his second assist.
The goal would bring a hush to the Red Bulls crowd but a roar from the huge Revs contingent in Red Bull Arena, as it would prove to be the game-winner. The Revs will carry a 2-1 aggregate advantage into Saturday’s second leg with a two away goals on the tie breaker.
