After Sunday night's victory against Santos Laguna, New England Revolution head coach Steve Nicol can see the SuperLiga semifinals in his future.
New England's victory, combined with CF Pachuca's 2-1 win against Chivas USA, sets up a top-of-the-table clash on Wednesday night at Gillette Stadium against the reigning SuperLiga champions.
Nicol figures that his team will advance to the next round with a victory and wants his team to string together a second consecutive victory to clinch a semifinal berth.P
"It would be nice to win," Nicol said after his team defeated Santos Laguna on Sunday night. "If we did that, I think it'd be pretty safe that we'd go through but we take nothing for granted. Pachuca is a great team and plenty of history behind them."
Pachuca's storied history includes a victory in last season's SuperLiga, two CONCACAF Champions' Cup crowns and a victory in the Copa Sudamericana in 2006 -- the first team from outside South America to win a CONMEBOL event.
The Tuzos have altered their core a bit since those championship winning years with players like Andres Chitiva (Ciudad Juarez) and Juan Carlos Cacho (Pumas) moving to other Mexican clubs. Mainstays like coach Enrique Meza, captain Miguel Calero, Christian Gimenez and Gabriel Caballero remain and Bruno Marioni, once heavily linked with Houston and FC Dallas, joined this summer from Atlas.
The contest represents another stiff test for a Revolution side that has come through most of them this season.
"We know the broad Mexican style and I'm sure we'll see more of the same on Wednesday night [against Pachuca]," Revolution defender Michael Parkhurst said. "It will be another test. If we come away with another three points it'd be big. We'd be going out to Los Angeles knowing that we're already through."
Revs 'keeper Matt Reis said Pachuca will try to do many of the things Santos did in the first half before Juan Pablo Rodriguez was sent off for a stray elbow to Sainey Nyassi's head.
"They're going to play the same style," Reis said. "They'll be very good on the ball and very composed. They're going to try to play possession and pass the ball around us."
Who will play for the Revolution remains a question. Steve Ralston and Jeff Larentowicz are both questionable with quadriceps injuries after starting on Sunday night. Taylor Twellman missed Sunday's contest with a hip flexor strain that might keep him out again while Mauricio Castro's groin strain could also keep him out again.
The possible changes it make even more likely Nicol will continue with the 4-4-2 formation that brought his team success in the first half against Santos Laguna.
Kyle McCarthy is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
