Give and go: Revolution stars depart
After 14 games, the Revolution have only two fewer points than they totaled in their 30 games last season. The Revolution (9-1-4, 31 points) are off to their best start, but maintaining their momentum will be difficult, since they will be without many of their top players for much of July.
Five players will be involved in the Gold Cup, a continental championship involving 12 nations performing in six US cities from July 6-24.
The most important losses will be US national team players Clint Dempsey, Pat Noonan, and Steve Ralston, who have played a direct part in the deciding goals in the last two victories, over Columbus (3-1) Wednesday and the MetroStars (4-2) Saturday. Goalkeeper Matt Reis will be released by the US team for the Revolution's visit to Los Angeles July 4. Defender Avery John, a second-half substitute against the MetroStars, will join Trinidad and Tobago in Miami. Canadian national team forward Felix Brillant, who has not played in an MLS game this season, has been released by the Revolution.
''I have confidence that we have guys who can come in and do the job and help the team win games," said Noonan, who scored a team-leading eighth goal in the 90th minute against the MetroStars.
Among those players is striker Taylor Twellman, expected to return from a left hamstring strain that likely cost him a place on the Gold Cup roster.
Three Revolution players converted for the first time this season against the MetroStars. José Cancela scored 22 seconds into the match. After the MetroStars gained the lead in the second half, Jay Heaps headed in the tying goal off an Andy Dorman corner kick, and Ralston provided the deciding score in the 86th minute.
''It was a great goal by Pepe [Cancela], but we let down after that and let them get back in the game," Noonan said. ''Hopefully, we won't be in similar situations because that means we will be behind late in the game. You have to be ready from the opening whistle, which we were, but then we let down.
''We didn't play well and it started up top. We weren't holding balls and we weren't moving very well together. But in the final 20 minutes you saw what we can do when we want to play."
The US begins training in Portland, Ore., today and will meet Cuba (July 7) and Canada (July 9) in Seattle, then Costa Rica at Gillette Stadium July 12. The US could also play a quarterfinal match in Foxborough July 16.
''I hope I can impress enough to be on the final roster and, if we play well, come back and play in front of the home fans," said Noonan.
The Revolution reserves will meet the Cape Cod Crusaders today, as coach Steve Nicol allows the starters to recuperate.
''We had a lot of guys running on empty," Nicol said of the game against the MetroStars. ''There were a lot of tired legs out there and it will be good to take a few days off and not have to play until [July 4]. We were heavy-legged and the [MetroStar] goals were an accumulation of being under pressure for 70 minutes."
Nicol rejuvenated the Revolution after halftime with substitutes Dorman and James Riley, plus John midway through the second half, a move that allowed Dempsey to perform as a forward.
''We were losing the middle of the field," Nicol said. ''We couldn't close them down, we weren't picking up runners. We thought, if we leave it that way, they are eventually going to score."
The MetroStars did just that, on a Youri Djorkaeff penalty kick and a Sergio Galvan Rey finish in the goal area.
''We gave up two goals real quick," Revolution central defender Michael Parkhurst said. ''We needed that as a team to wake us up. Luckily, we woke up in time to come back."
