When duty called, this pair responded

Reis, Joseph back with Revolution

SHALRIE JOSEPH Travel weary

FOXBOROUGH - World Cup qualifying has led to some unpredictable comings and goings for Revolution players.

First, goalkeeper Matt Reis was called in by the US national team, a last-minute replacement for injured starter Tim Howard. Then, midfielder Shalrie Joseph left Grenada after a surprising 2-2 tie with Costa Rica, arriving in Boston shortly before yesterday's practice session. Both players will be available for the Revolution-New York Red Bulls game tonight at Gillette Stadium.

Reis went the distance, saving a late penalty kick, in the Revolution's 2-0 win at Houston last Thursday night. After returning to Boston Friday, he received a call from US team administrator Pam Perkins, asking him to report to training camp in Carson, Calif. Reis arrived Saturday and was on the bench as Brad Guzan's backup for an 8-0 win over Barbados Sunday.

Joseph had a hectic time traveling from St. George to Bridgetown, Barbados, to New York, to Boston. He spent Monday night at JFK Airport, then caught a flight to Boston, arriving in time for a 10 a.m. training session.

"What did I say to him when I saw him?" Revolution coach Steve Nicol said. " 'What the [heck] are you doing here?' It was an absolute surprise."

Joseph said he left Grenada because he was dissatisfied with the national team's training setup.

"It was great to represent the island," Joseph said. "But there were a lot of politics going on and I thought it was best to come back and train here. I didn't feel like working out by myself.

"I got into great condition with the Revolution and I don't want to lose that. Plus, the team is doing well and I want to be a part of it."

The Revolution (8-3-2, 26 points) are in first place in the MLS overall standings and have a six-game (5-0-1) unbeaten streak.

Joseph plans to rejoin Grenada for a visit to Costa Rica this weekend.

"We felt like we should have won the game, we should have had four or five goals in the first half," Joseph said of the first-leg tie with the Ticos. "Then, we got a stupid red card and gave up a goal.

"Costa Rica is a powerhouse in this region but we know we could have won the game. The result shows how far we have come. The game down there will be at [Estadio] Saprissa and it's going to be a crazy atmosphere with people right on top of you, so we need to stay focused and not get red cards."

Reis has three shutouts in the last five games and was a minute away from another in a 2-1 win over FC Dallas June 6.

"You can be one injury away from being in the mix for a while," Reis said. "If I keep doing well with the Revolution, I'll get notice and there could be the opportunity for me to get in. You can sulk and say you should be in there, but at the same time, you can just put your head down and work hard.

"They told me thanks for coming in, and if they need me again, they will call. They have put their time and effort into Brad [Guzan] and he is going to get the lion's share of the games."

Reis's journey became more difficult because he left his cellphone in his Houston hotel room.

"We were all packed up and ready to go to the Cape for the weekend," Reis said. "My wife's cellphone started ringing and it was Pam [Perkins] saying I needed to get on a flight.

"But it was too late on Friday, so they sent a car to pick me up at 5 o'clock Saturday morning. I got to LA at 11:30, trained at 3, had a game the next day at 2, and had another car pick me up at 5 o'clock Monday to come back here.

"All the logistics were tough because I didn't have my cell, so it all happened like they used to do it 10 years ago. I wasn't able to contact a lot of people, and a lot of them told me the first time they saw me was on the pitch before the game."

Frank Dell'Apa can be reached at f_dellapa@globe.com