Fresh off its season-opening victory against the San Jose Earthquakes last weekend in California, the New England Revolution will train in Foxborough three times this week before returning to the road to face the conference rival New York Red Bulls at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 28 at Giants Stadium.
NEW ENGLAND VS. NEW YORK SERIES INFORMATION
• The Revs lead the all-time, regular-season series with the New York Red Bulls (formerly New York/New Jersey MetroStars), 23-16-9 ... the Revolution is 8-12-5 on the road against New York, while the club is 15-4-4 at home.
• The Revolution is undefeated against New York in the teams' last 10 regular-season meetings (6-0-4) dating back to the end of the 2005 season, while the unbeaten run spans 12 games (7-0-5) including postseason matches ... New York's last victory in the regular-season series came on Sept. 17, 2005 - a 5-4 victory at Giants Stadium.
• The Revs haven't lost in their last six visits to Giants Stadium - including one postseason match - going 2-0-4 in that span.
• Saturday night's match is the first of three meetings between the Revs and Red Bulls this season ... the Revolution will host New York at Gillette Stadium on June 7, while the Revs will return to Giants Stadium on Sept. 18.
• This will mark the 55th all-time meeting between the Revolution and Red Bulls in MLS regular-season and postseason action combined, representing the most games the Revs have played against any team.
• New England and New York played to a pair of 1-1 draws last season: April 19 at Giants Stadium and June 18 at Gillette Stadium ... the clubs have now tied in each of their last three regular-season meetings.
• Former Revolution midfielder Khano Smith could make his debut for the Red Bulls on Saturday night, as he was acquired by New York this past offseason.
• New England and New York have met in the postseason three times - all since 2003 - and the Revs have eliminated New York on each occasion ... the clubs' most recent playoff encounter was in the 2007 Eastern Conference Semifinals.
PLAYER NOTES VS. NEW YORK
• Taylor Twellman is New England's all-time leading scorer against New York with 12 goals, while he's has also added five assists in 18 appearances.
• Four of Jay Heaps' 16 career goals have been scored against New York, a team which he has faced 32 times including his stints in Miami and New England.
• Steve Ralston is the Revolution's career leader in assists against New York with 20, more than he has recorded against any other team ... 12 of those assists have come in 22 appearances with the Revolution ... Ralston scored the game-tying goal in the 79th minute of the teams' most recent meeting, a 1-1 draw on June 18, 2008.
• Matt Reis is 9-2-6 in his New England career against the Red Bulls, posting a 1.33 goals against average and five shutouts.
LAST MEETING
New England 1, New York 1
June 18, 2008 - Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, Mass.)
Steve Ralston scored the game-tying goal in the 79th minute to help the Revolution earn a 1-1 draw with the visiting Red Bulls, extending New England's unbeaten run against New York to 10 regular-season games ... Seth Stammler gave New York the lead in the 37th minute, volleying home former Red Bull Dave van den Bergh's curling cross at the back post ... the visitors held their one-goal advantage deep into the second half, but Ralston's goal 11 minutes from time knotted the score ... the move started with Jay Heaps, whose lofted ball into the box was knocked down by Kheli Dube right into the path of Ralston, who finished into the left side of the net.
NEWS & NOTES
THE RIVALRY RETURNS
The New England Revolution and New York Red Bulls played just twice in the 2008 season, marking the first time in MLS history that the two geographic rivals didn't square off at least three times ... that changes this year, as the Revs and Red Bulls have been designated as natural rivals by the league, and as such, will play each other three times this season ... with 15 teams now in the league, each club's 30-game schedule is comprised of two matches (home and away) against each of the 14 other teams in the league (28 games), plus two additional matches against what the league deems as "natural rivals" ... New England's natural rivals are New York and Kansas City, so the Revs will play the Red Bulls twice more after Saturday night: on June 7 at Gillette Stadium and on Sept. 18 at Giants Stadium.
REVOLUTION'S UNBEATEN STREAK AGAINST RED BULLS CLIMBS INTO DOUBLE DIGITS
The Revolution has enjoyed great success against the Red Bulls in recent years, as New England is undefeated in its last 10 regular-season games against New York dating back to the end of the 2005 season, going 6-0-4 during that span ... including playoff matches, the Revs are unbeaten in 12 consecutive matches against the Red Bulls, going 7-0-5 ... in their last six visits to Giants Stadium (including one postseason match), New England is 2-0-4 ... New York hasn't earned a regular-season win over New England since Sept. 17, 2005 (5-4 at Giants Stadium).
AN OLD FRIEND BECOMES A FAMILIAR FOE
After spending the first four years of his MLS career in New England, midfielder Khano Smith could make his debut for the New York Red Bulls against his former club on Saturday night ... Smith made 85 regular-season appearances (54 starts) during his time with the Revolution, recording eight goals and 11 assists while playing primarily as a left-sided midfielder ... however, Smith's most memorable contribution for the club occurred in the 2005 postseason, when he scored the series-clinching goal in a 3-2, aggregate-goals victory over New York to send the Revolution to the Eastern Conference Championship ... Smith was selected by Seattle Sounders FC in the 2008 expansion draft in November, but was traded to New York prior to the start of the season ... the Bermuda National Team member was suspended for the Red Bulls' season opener against Seattle (March 19), and could possibly make his debut against the Revs on Saturday night.
REIS REACHES ONE MILESTONE ...
Matt Reis - who is seventh on MLS' all-time list for games started in goal (185) and is rapidly climbing the chart - became the first goalkeeper in Revolution history to start 150 matches for the club with his start against the San Jose Earthquakes in the season opener on Saturday night (March 21) ... the veteran shot-stopper holds every New England career goalkeeping record, including games played in goal (151), games started in goal (150), minutes played in goal (13,512), goals against average (1.29), wins (62), saves (596), shutouts (40) and save percentage (.722).
... AND COULD REACH ANOTHER ON SATURDAY NIGHT
After blanking the San Jose Earthquakes by making four saves in the season-opening, 1-0 win last Saturday night (March 21), Matt Reis now has 49 career shutouts ... entering this Saturday night's match against the Red Bulls (March 28), Reis needs just one more shutout to become the seventh goalkeeper in MLS history to record 50 shutouts ... Reis has had tremendous success against New York in the past, going 9-2-6 and recording five shutouts in 17 starts during his time with the Revolution.
ALSTON AND BARNES MAKE IMMEDIATE IMPACT IN MLS DEBUTS
Rookie defenders Kevin Alston and Darrius Barnes made their MLS debuts in the Revolution's season-opening victory over the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday night (March 21), as each started along the backline ... Alston, who was the Revolution's top selection (10th overall) in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft out of Indiana, played 89 minutes at right back ... Barnes, who was drafted in the third round (40th overall) in January's draft, started alongside fellow Duke alum Jay Heaps in the center of the Revolution's four-man backline ... the pair of young defenders helped the Revs shut down the high-powered San Jose attack, limiting the Earthquakes to just four shots on goal and keeping them scoreless for the full 90 minutes.
DO THE DUBE
After leading all MLS rookies in goals (4) and assists (4) in 2008, forward Kheli Dube began the 2009 campaign by quelling worries of a sophomore slump ... the second-year forward - who was one of three finalists for Gatorade Rookie of the Year last season - scored the only goal in the Revolution's season-opening, 1-0 win over the San Jose Earthquakes (March 21) ... just as he did after each of his goals in 2008, the Zimbabwean celebrated the strike by performing a traditional Zulu dance, which pays homage to his mother's South African roots ... the more Dube scores, the more comfortable it seems his teammates become with the unusual celebration, as many have begun to join in by dancing alongside him.
ALBRIGHT RETURNS FROM SUSPENSION, COULD MAKE 2009 DEBUT AGAINST NEW YORK
Defender Chris Albright will be available for Saturday night's match against the New York Red Bulls after serving his one-game suspension in the season opener against the San Jose Earthquakes on March 21 ... Albright was suspended for the first match of the 2009 season after receiving two yellow cards - and a subsequent red card - in the Revolution's last match of the 2008 season, Game Two of the Eastern Conference Semifinal Series against Chicago ... the 30-year-old right back set new career highs in starts (26) and minutes played (2,340) with the Revolution last season, his first in New England.
