WASHINGTON - The Houston Dynamo will have a size advantage over the Revolution on corner kicks and set pieces in Sunday's MLS Cup. No Revolution defender is taller than 5 feet 11 inches. And the Dynamo have several players taller than Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis, who is 6-1.
"They have big guys who attack the ball in the box," Revolution coach Steve Nicol said last night. "Plenty of teams in the league have big guys but they don't attack the ball the way [the Dynamo players] do. We have to limit their set pieces and take away one of their weapons."
The Revolution are among the few MLS teams using a zonal scheme to defend against corner kicks.
"It's all about attacking the ball and timing," Nicol said. "You can defend against the Jolly Green Giant if your timing is right."
Houston could be missing Brian Ching (calf), but forward Nate Jaqua and defenders Eddie Robinson and Craig Waibel provide potent weapons in the air.
"Even if Ching doesn't play, they have a lot of targets," Revolution defender Michael Parkhurst said.
The Revolution blanked New York and Chicago in the playoffs, defending effectively against the 6-1 Juan Pablo Angel (Red Bulls) and the 6-3 Paulo Wanchope (Fire).
"It's all positioning and timing," Parkhurst said. "You can't let them have a run at it, you have to get your body in position and keep your eye on the ball. Communication plays a key part in who goes up and who swings around behind.
"On corners, you have to attack the ball, be strong and confident enough to challenge, and also brave enough to go for headers when you have Jaqua and Robinson coming in on you."
Emilio is MVP
D.C. United's Luciano Emilio was named the league's most valuable player. Emilio led MLS with 20 goals, one ahead of New York's Angel, who was a finalist. From the league's final four playoff teams, only Chicago's Cuauhtemoc Blanco was a finalist for the MVP honor . . . More than 150 fans applied to reserve places on three buses to depart from Gillette Stadium tomorrow for the game. The Revolution were attempting to make more buses available, according to general manager Craig Tornberg . . . Alex Prus, the referee for Sunday's game, last worked a Revolution playoff match when the team tied Columbus, 1-1, Oct. 31, 2004. Reis saved two penalty kicks and Andy Dorman sparked the Revolution as a second-half substitute. Taylor Twellman provided an 81st-minute score for a two-goal aggregate lead in the series before Edson Buddle cut the deficit in added time.
