This was considered the home leg of the CONCACAF Champions League matchup for the New England Revolution, and several hundred supporters made the trip to Hamilton for the game, plus a chance to witness training sessions. The featured players were the Revolution’s Clint Dempsey and Alajuelense’s Bryan Ruiz, who would go on to become teammates at Fulham FC, attracting significant transfer fees along the way. [Read more…] about Feb. 22, 2006 – Revolution, Alajuelense draw in Bermuda
Unpredictable things occurred during the New England Revolution’s preseason training, often against Costa Rican clubs. The Revolution were among the first MLS teams to make inroads in Costa Rica. The Revolution played to a 2-2 draw at Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Feb. 21, 2001, Wolde Harris scoring the first goal on a penalty kick, the tying goal on an extraordinary sequence. With seconds remaining, Harris advanced into the penalty area and was sent flying off the field by a defender past the end line … and through a door leading to the locker room. Harris had stopped the ball on the end line, and was able to return quickly enough to regain possession and convert the tying goal just before the final whistle. [Read more…] about Feb. 21, 2001 – New England Revolution open doors in Costa Rica
Chiquinho Conde totaled 6 goals in 17 games for the New England Revolution in their second season. Conde might have produced more, but his season was interrupted by trips for World Cup qualifying matches. Traveling to Mozambique was exceedingly time-consuming. Conde played two games in Maputo and a third in Mauritius. And Conde had to make a fourth visit to attend the funeral of a brother.
Meanwhile, the Revolution were struggling, and coach Thomas Rongen jumped at the chance to bring back Giuseppe Galderisi, so he traded Chiquinho to Tampa Bay. Galderisi helped the Revolution qualify for the playoffs for the first time. [Read more…] about Feb. 20, 1997 – Revolution acquire Chiquinho Conde from Vitoria Setubal
Less than three weeks after joining the New England Revolution, Teal Bunbury became starter in the season-opener. Bunbury has been in the opening day starting lineup three successive seasons, totaling 98 appearances and 15 goals in all competitions for the Revolution. Bunbury has been at his best in the MLS post-season and U.S. Open Cup competitions, scoring twice the Revolution’s run to the 2014 MLS Cup final and three times on the way to last year’s U.S. Open Cup final.
Bunbury’s left-footer from outside the penalty area at Red Bull Arena provided the first goal in the Revolution’s win over the New York Red Bulls in the Eastern Conference finals. The Revolution wisely attacked the Red Bulls’ Ambroise Oyongo early on, and the move paid off as Bunbury easily outmaneuvered Oyongo for the score. At the time, Oyongo might have been considered a Red Bulls’ weak point, but he has become a starter for the Montreal Impact and Cameroon’s title-winning team in the African Nations Cup.
TODAY IN NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY
Je-Vaughn Watson proved to be among the New England Revolution’s most valuable and versatile players, sparking the team’s run to the U.S. Open Cup final last year. Watson, who has been playing as a holding midfielder and captaining the Jamaica national team, played in the back and midfield for the Revolution.
Watson started at left back in the Revolution’s season-opener, a 3-3 draw at Houston. Watson moved to right back for the next game, and by the next month had started in central defense, as well. Watson totaled three goals – a game-winner against Chicago in an MLS game, the go-ahead score (and deciding penalty kick) against the Philadelphia Union in the Open Cup, and the decider against Chicago in the semifinals. [Read more…] about Feb. 18, 2016 – Revolution acquire Je-Vaughn Watson from FC Dallas
Clint Dempsey joined the Revolution as a defensive midfielder in 2004, but began emerging as an attacking threat early on. By ’06, Dempsey had become a regular with the U.S. national team, though he did not solidify a starting role until the final game of 2006 World Cup group play. In the preseason, Dempsey totaled 7 goals – he scored 5 goals in an 8-1 win over the Bermuda U-20 national team on this day.
Dempsey scored 8 goals in 21 games for the Revolution (plus another 4 for the U.S.) in ‘06. But, by the end of the season, Dempsey and several teammates were playing injured. The lack of an adequate bench, plus some physical opposition along the way, caused the Revolution to be below par in the MLS Cup final; Dempsey and Steve Ralston were unable to participate in penalty kicks as the Revolution lost to the Houston Dynamo after playing to a 1-1 draw.
TODAY IN NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY
Franco Coria paired with A.J. Soares in central defense for the New England Revolution season-opener, a 1-1 draw with the LA Galaxy at The Home Depot Center. Coria went on to play 17 games (14 starts), often in a makeshift lineup.
Coria, from Los Toldos (Evita Peron’s hometown), had been playing for Chacarita Juniors, and later started for Sarmiento in Argentina’s first division.
Feb. 15, 1925 – Fall River 3×0 J&P Coats [Read more…] about Feb. 15, 2011 – Revolution sign Argentinian defender Franco Coria
Not many players in Revolution history displayed greater composure in midfield than Ousmane Dabo, though not enough people had a chance to see him demonstrate his ability in New England. When Dabo was 21, he was transferred from Rennes to Inter for 9 million euros. A 31-year-old Roberto Baggio (2.5m euros) and a 19-year-old Andrea Pirlo (2m euros) were among Inter’s midfield newcomers that year. Dabo became a valuable journeyman holding midfielder, learning the trade with several Serie A clubs, winning Coppa Italia twice, plus the 2003 Confederations Cup with France. Dabo also made a stop at Manchester City, where he played under Stuart Pearce and also absorbed a major cheap shot from teammate Joey Barton during a training session.
[Read more…] about Feb. 11, 2011 – Revolution acquire SS Lazio midfielder Ousmane Dabo
Still difficult to fathom how Dallas could have passed up Twellman with the MLS’ first pick, though No. 1 pick Chris Gbandi (currently Northeastern’s head coach) always impressed me as an outside back. Revolution coach Fernando Clavijo needed only a few minutes to decide what he would do if Twellman was available, as described in excerpts of my story in the 1/12/2002 editions of the Boston Globe below.
Twellman went on to score 101 goals in 174 regular-season games, his .581 scoring rate best among MLS’ top 10 career scorers. Raul Diaz Arce is No. 2 on the Revolution scoring rate list (.556), Joe-Max Moore No. 3 (.459). Twellman converted another 10 goals in 21 playoff games and totaled 119 goals in 211 appearances in all competitions for the Revolution. [Read more…] about Feb. 10, 2002 – Revolution select Taylor Twellman No. 2, Shalrie Joseph in 2nd round of MLS SuperDraft
Former U.S. national team captain John Harkes played an important role as the New England Revolution compiled their first .500 record for an MLS regular season in 2000. But after the Revolution got off to a six-game losing streak in 2001, Harkes departed for Columbus. Harkes finished with two goals in 55 appearances for the Revolution.
The Revolution team that began the 2000 season included several players who went on to become coaches, Leonel Alvarez (Colombia) and Mauricio Wright (Costa Rica) winning championships. Harkes made his coaching debut with FC Cincinnati last year, guiding the team to third place in the Eastern Conference. [Read more…] about Feb. 8, 2000 – John Harkes reports to Revolution camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.