Reis saves day as Revolution tie KC
FOXBOROUGH - By the time Michael Videira had to leave the game with hamstring cramping early in the second half, the Revolution could least afford it. They needed his experience almost desperately, even if he has only two years of it in Major League Soccer.
The Revolution were left with a series of under 22-year-olds and lots of injury replacements. But they also had a veteran goalie playing the best statistical game of his life.
Matt Reis’s career-high 11 saves, a couple of which were highlight reel-worthy, allowed the Revolution to get out of Gillette Stadium with a point yesterday, if not a goal. New England and the Kansas City Wizards played to a 0-0 tie.
“It was a good day at the office for him,’’ said Revolution coach Steve Nicol after Reis earned his 51st career shutout. “They had a lot of pressure, but we had a goalie staying tall and back. He did well all day.’’
“Getting those 11 saves, it was one of my better games,’’ said Reis. “But it was nice to be able to get it when we needed it. We weren’t able to shut them down completely, so they got some chances.’’
Kansas City’s best chance came in the 62d minute, when Jack Jewsbury tried to stuff in a one-bounce pass, but Reis leaped to his right, full extension, and barely gained control. A couple of seconds later, Reis knocked away a Jewsbury shot that looked like a sure goal.
But nothing got past the 34-year-old Reis the whole afternoon.
“[Reis] was diving all over the place. Kudos for him for playing a great game,’’ said Jewsbury. “I just wish one of those would’ve slipped through.’’
In the last 12 minutes, Reis knocked two crossbar-bound shots out of bounds. One was from Aaron Hohlbein, after a perfect Claudio Lopez cross, another by Abe Thompson just outside the box.
“He’s one of the best goalkeepers in the game. He makes excellent decisions,’’ said Wizards coach Curt Onalfo. “But we needed to be more precise and get in the back of the net.’’
A minute after the Thompson shot, in the 81st minute, Wizards defenseman Lance Watson was given a red card for tripping Nico Colaluca, who had come on for Videira in the 59th minute, and the Revs played a man up. The Revolution scrambled to score, but couldn’t get a worthy effort in the final minutes.
The Revolution’s best chances came minutes before the red card. Newcomer Edgaras Jankauskas, who came on in the first minute of the second half for Kheli Dube, almost had a cross graze off his shin and behind goalie Kevin Hartman, but it dribbled right of the net. Jeff Larentowicz’s rebound sailed just wide.
“Some of our decisions weren’t the best. We’ve got a bunch of babies playing,’’ said Nicol, who didn’t mean it pejoratively. “They just don’t know and that takes time. With that added pressure, it’s sometimes hard to get things done.’’
The Revolution roster was in such a dire position - Taylor Twellman is recovering from a concussion and new addition Gabriel Badilla isn’t ready to play - that injured captain Steve Ralston had to switch from midfield to defense. Ralston wound up playing the whole game though he was slated to play 45 minutes.
“He’s fit again. He missed a lot of training [with his injury], but we decided he could do it,’’ said Nicol. “But Badilla just wasn’t fit enough. He’s not injured - he just hasn’t kicked a ball for nine months and wasn’t ready.’’
The overall effect left a young team without many options scrounging for opportunities.
“It’s hard to score when you don’t keep the ball,’’ said Nicol. “That’s when you’ve got a problem: when you don’t have the ball you’re not going to be able to put them under pressure.’’
Instead, a Revolution team too young to take advantage tied Kansas City for the second time in three games this year.
