Nguyen Lifts Revs To Much Needed Win
Saturday, August 23, 2014
Looking to extend their home unbeaten run to four games, the Revolution welcomed Chivas USA to Gillette Stadium in desperate need of a win. They were able to get that much-needed win, taking down Chivas USA 1-0.
The Revs looked to get the action started early as they got a good opportunity in just the 3rd minute. The play was set up on a beautiful chip over the defense by Lee Nguyen. The chip was on target for Charlie Davies as he made a run but he could not get a solid touch on the ball before Chivas USA keeper Dan Kennedy grabbed the ball to end the threat.
Chivas USA were able to get their first attacking chance on the Revolution in the 18th minute. The attack came off a beautiful turn and shot by Felix Borja that was curling for the far post but Bobby Shuttleworth came up with a great diving save to keep the game scoreless.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTThe Revs came right back less than a minute later as Lee Nguyen put forth a great individual effort to create a goal scoring chance. Nguyen made a run from just inside midfield to the far, top corner of the box and unleashed a strong shot but it sailed just high of the net.
After an extended period of back-and-forth possession, the Revs nearly broke through in the 32nd minute. Following Charlie Davies winning a free kick in the attacking zone, the Revs got a quick restart right to Lee Nguyen. He made a break into the box and took a close-angle shot that Kennedy pushed wide and off the side of the net.
The Revs and Chivas USA exchanged chances throughout the rest of the half but neither team was able to create a quality scoring chance, sending the game into halftime scoreless. The Revolution held a 68% to 32% advantage in possession while outshooting Chivas USA five to three. Both teams managed one shot on target.
"I think tonight, [the performance] wasn't dominating on the scoreboard," Revolution coach Jay Heaps said following the game. "If you go back and look at the stats. I think it was close to 70% possession. At halftime, I think, we were close to 86% passing. So we had our way with the ball, it just wasn't penetrating. So that was our adjustment at halftime."
The first chance of the 2nd half came from Chivas USA in the 51st minute when Agustin Pelletieri was freed up on a good Chivas USA attack. Pelletieri took a low shot that was saved easily by Bobby Shuttleworth.
The Revs came back to create a near goal by Diago Kobayashi. Diago got the ball at the top of the box and ripped a shot that flew just high of the net.
The Revs finally broke through in the 57th minute and it was once again Lee Nguyen leading the charge. The play was set up nicely when Kelyn Rowe dropped a pass into Kobayashi, who delivered a back heel. The back heel was chipped by Rowe to Nguyen and he ripped a curling shot from 20-yards out past Kennedy. It was the 9th goal of the season for Nguyen, extending his career high. The goal was assisted by Rowe, his 3rd of the year, and Kobayashi, his 4th of the year. The Revolution were 5-1-1 on the season when Nguyen scored a goal.
"It was going from left to right, I believe, and Kelyn and Diago did a good little combination," Nguyen said when asked about the play. "Kelyn put in a great effort to get the little poke in to get the ball through [the Chivas USA defenders] legs to me. I just took a touch and was able to get a good enough touch on it to make it tough on Kennedy.
"It was great to get the three points, that's the main thing. I think it's going to boost us going into Toronto, two results back-to-back so now we're looking for a third."
Chivas USA nearly found the equalizer in the 65th minute as Borja made a good run up the right side of the field and delivered a good shot on target. His shot was turned away by Shuttleworth for his 3rd save of the night.
Chivas USA was on the attack again in the 72nd minute, but once again Shuttleworth closed the door with a great save. This time it was a bouncing header from Erick Torres to the far post that appeared destined for the back of the net. Shuttleworth, however, made a one-handed, diving save just before the ball crossed the line to keep the Revs in front.
The Revs nearly broke the game open in the 76th minute on a long distance blast from Steve Neumann. Neumann took the shot from nearly 25-yards out with a strong shot to the left of Kennedy, but Kennedy was able to make the diving save to keep the game at 1-0.
In the 81st minute the Revolution fans got their first look at newly acquired Tony Taylor. Taylor came on for Charlie Davies, who logged a season-high 81-minutes of action on the night.
The Revolution were able to sit behind the ball and run out the game, taking a 1-0 win from Chivas USA. The win moved the Revolution to 30 points at 9-12-3. The shutout was the fifth of the season for the Revolution and their first since a 3-0 win over Colorado on July 30, also at Gillette Stadium. "It felt huge," defender Andrew Farrell said of the clean sheet. "I think it's big for us. It's been a while since we got one of those.
"I think today we put in a good 90-minute shift. Our center backs did a great job with their two forwards, Borja and "Cubo" and then me and Darrius [Barnes] pitching in weak side to help out and Bobby had a huge game. He kept us in it from the beginning and kept them off the board. So it feels really good to get the clean sheet." The Revolution will travel to Toronto to take on Toronto FC at 5 pm next Saturday.
