HAMILTON, Bermuda - Kenny Mansally scored three goals, including his third of the night in the final minute of stoppage time, to help the New England Revolution post a 6-1 victory over the Bermuda National Team on Saturday night in its first match of the preseason.
Spencer Wadsworth, Adam Cristman and Amaechi Igwe also added goals, and Revs winger - and regular member of the Bermuda National Team - Khano Smith had two assists to help lead the Revs to the five-goal win.
Wadsworth opened the scoring in the ninth minute, sending a Smith cross into the upper right corner of the goal for the 1-0 lead. Wadsworth teamed with Cristman up top, and his speed created several chances early, but it was that speed that ended up helping send him off the field with an injury in the 31st minute. Chasing down a lobbed pass into the area, Wadsworth collided with Bermuda's keeper and went down with an ankle injury. Several minutes later, Mansally came on in substitution for him, striking for his first goal of the night in the 39th minute after making a late run into the area to meet Smith's cross from the left.
Mansally scored his second goal of the night in the 45th minute, just before the halftime whistle, when Steve Ralston sent him in from the midfield and he converted his low chance.
With a three-goal lead at the half, Revolution head coach Steve Nicol made several substitutions to start the second, bringing on Gary Flood for Chris Albright, Joe Franchino for Jeff Larentowicz and Sainey Nyassi for Smith. Flood connected with Cristman to put the Revs ahead 4-0 in the 60th minute, sending a lobbed pass over the entire Bermuda team, and laying the ball up for the forward to run in on goal one-on-one with the keeper. Cristman blasted a shot waist-high past Bermuda's keeper from 12 yards out on the right side.
Five minutes later in the 65th, Igwe staked New England to a 5-0 lead, heading in a Nyassi cross on the near post after working together on the left wing. Shalrie Joseph had an opportunity to put the Revs up by six in the 76th minute when he stepped up to attempt the penalty kick Mansally earned seconds before, but his shot was saved by Bermuda's substitute keeper and the score remained 5-0.
Although Bermuda's Keishan Bean broke the Revs' - and goalkeeper Matt Reis' - shutout bid in the 84th minute, scoring on a header off a near-perfect free kick by Domico Coddington, Mansally made the final margin of victory six with his goal in the third minute of stoppage time. Ralston sent him through again for a one-on-one chance with the keeper, which Mansally converted after faking out the goalkeeper and opening up the goal for the clear chance.
Reis was called on to make three saves on the evening, including a long-range chance just after the second half started.
Several Revs and draft picks/trialists were unavailable for selection while nursing injuries: M/F Kyle Helton (heel), D Rob Valentino (knee), GK Brad Knighton (shin), F Jose Angulo (knee) and M Wells Thompson (ankle).
The Revolution and Bermuda National Team will meet again on Wednesday, Feb. 20. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. AT (7 p.m. ET) at Bermuda's National Stadium in Hamilton.
New England Revolution at Bermuda National Team
February 16, 2008 - National Stadium (Hamilton, Bermuda)
Scoring Summary
NE - Spencer Wadsworth (Khano Smith) 9
NE - Kenny Mansally (Khano Smith) 39
NE - Kenny Mansally (Steve Ralston) 45
NE - Adam Cristman (Gary Flood) 60
NE - Amaechi Igwe (Sainey Nyassi) 65
BDA - Keishan Bean (Domico Coddington) 84
NE - Kenny Mansally (Steve Ralston) 93+
New England Revolution:
Matt Reis, Javier Delgado (Amaechi Igwe 60), Michael Parkhurst, Jay Heaps, Chris Albright (Gary Flood 46), Khano Smith © (Sainey Nyassi 46), Shalrie Joseph, Jeff Larentowicz (Joe Franchino 46), Steve Ralston, Spencer Wadsworth (Kenny Mansally 35), Adam Cristman
Substitutes Not Used:
Doug Warren, Kyle Altman, Sam Brill
Misconduct Summary:
None
