COLUMBUS, Ohio - Jeff Larentowicz's first goal of 2009 came at the perfect time as it sealed the New England Revolution's berth in the 2009 MLS Cup Playoffs. The midfielder's 19-yard free-kick blast found the back of the goal in the 79th minute on Sunday night, giving the Revolution a 1-0 win over the MLS regular-season champion Columbus Crew at Crew Stadium in the final game of the 2009 MLS regular season.
The Revolution entered the game needing a draw or a win to secure the final of eight berths in the MLS Cup Playoffs, making the outcome crucial to not only New England (11-10-9, 42 pts.), but also the Colorado Rapids, who would have entered the playoffs with a Revolution loss. Knotted in a scoreless match deep into the game, Larentowicz's strike secured the Revs' ticket to the postseason for the eighth-straight season, MLS' longest current streak. Columbus (13-7-10, 49 pts.) enters the postseason as the top overall seed, winning the 2009 Supporters' Shield for the best regular-season record.
The Revolution became just the second team to defeat the Crew at home in 2009 after the team had a 22-match undefeated streak that dated back to 2008.
The Revolution will now face their arch rival, the Chicago Fire, in the Eastern Conference Semifinal Series, beginning later this week. Exact times and dates will be announced at a later time. This will mark the fifth-straight season which the Revolution and Fire will meet in the playoffs, and seventh time in the last eight seasons.
Despite the up-tempo nature of the game, the match remained scoreless through the first half and well into the second until Larentowicz's strike.
After an early near-chance when Crew defender Andy Iro nearly deflected a cross in for an own goal, Larentowicz had a go from distance in the 28th minute after Kheli Dube laid off a loose ball outside the box. Columbus goalkeeper Kenny Schoeni had a clear view of the shot and smothered it to end the threat.
In the 38th minute, MLS most valuable player candidate Shalrie Joseph almost gave the Revs a 1-0 lead. After Schoeni came out off his line and got tangled with his defenders, the ball popped out to the central midfielder who tried to chip the Crew contingent at the top of the box. His shot, though, was about two feet too long and landed on top of the net as the Columbus defense chased back.
MLS' reigning MVP, Guillermo Barros Schelotto, had a clear, unimpeded header in the 42nd minute - from seven yards out - that had eyes for the goal, but it went straight to Matt Reis, allowing the Revolution goalkeeper to make the natural save and preserve the scoreless line.
Both teams picked up the pressure coming out after the intermission, with New England and Columbus creating chances right out of the gate. Both sides tried to push the game, resulting in a back-and-forth flow, despite any clear chances. Neither side broke through, however, and the scoreless game proceeded deep into the final 15-minute segment.
However, that all changed in the 79th minute. Crew midfielder Brian Carroll was whistled for a handball foul just outside the area as the Revs were attacking, and Larentowicz and Kenny Mansally stood over the free kick from 19 yards. Larentowicz took the shot, blasting the ball through a narrow opening in the Crew wall, and past a leaping Schoeni for the goal and a ticket to the postseason.
Edgaras Jankauskas almost made it a two-goal game in the fourth minute of stoppage time, when his sharp-angled shot from the left skimmed off the cross bar. Soon after, referee Kevin Stott blew the final whistle, sending New England through to the playoffs.
The Revolution will enter the MLS Cup Playoffs as the seventh overall seed and the third seed in the Eastern Conference. The Revs will host Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinal Series later this week, and then travel to face the Fire at Toyota Park in Game 2 next week. Exact times and dates will be announced later after the league finalizes plans. Check revolutionsoccer.net for further information, including ticket packages.
New England Revolution at Columbus Crew
October 25, 2009 - Columbus Crew Stadium (Columbus, Ohio)
Scoring Summary
NE - Jeff Larentowicz (unassisted) 79'
New England Revolution:
Matt Reis, Jay Heaps, Darrius Barnes, Emmanuel Osei (Amaechi Igwe 46'), Kevin Alston, Kenny Mansally (Chris Tierney 91+), Jeff Larentowicz, Shalrie Joseph ©, Sainey Nyassi, Edgaras Jankauskas, Kheli Dube (Pat Phelan 87')
Substitutes Not Used: Brad Knighton (GK), Wells Thompson, Mauricio Castro, Nico Colaluca
STATS:
Shots 10; Shots on Goal 5; Saves 2; Corner Kicks 2 ; Offside 1; Fouls Committed 14
Columbus Crew: Kenny Schoeni, Gino Padula, Andy Iro, Jed Zayner (Jason Garey 88'), Frankie Hejduk ©, Robbie Rogers, Brian Carroll, Adam Moffat, Emmanuel Ekpo (Eddie Gaven 77'), Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Alejandro Moreno (Steven Lenhart 74')
Substitutes Not Used: William Hesmer, Duncan Oughton, Kevin Burns, Cory Elenio
STATS:
Shots 12; Shots on Goal 2; Saves 4; Corner Kicks 3; Offside 4; Fouls Committed 17
Misconduct Summary:
NE - Jay Heaps (caution) 55'
CLB - Andy Iro (caution) 60'
CLB - Jed Zayner (caution) 63'
CLB - Gino Padula (caution) 81'
CLB - Adam Moffat (caution) 88'
Referee: Kevin Stott
Assistant Referees: Bill Ditmar, Jeff Muschick
Fourth Official: Terry Vaughn
Time of Game: 90:00
Weather: Partly cloudy, 59 degrees
Attendance: 16,797
Game Notes
• With the win, the Revolution secured passage into the 2009 MLS Cup Playoffs, the last of the eight teams to do so ... the Revs will be the seventh overall seed with 42 points, and will be the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference.
• The Revolution will now face the Chicago Fire in the Eastern Conference Semifinal Series, marking the fifth straight seasons the teams will meet in the postseason, and the seventh time in the last eight years ... overall the teams have met in the playoffs eight times (2000, 2002-03, 2005-present).
• The Revolution have now qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffs for the eighth straight season ... the team currently holds MLS' longest active streak of playoff appearances (2002-present).
• The Revolution also now hold Boston's current longest streak of postseason appearances, besting the Red Sox (three straight seasons) who have the next longest active streak.
• Rookie defender Darrius Barnes became just the second rookie in MLS history to play every minute of every game in his first season of play ... he joins former Revs defender Michael Parkhurst with the honor ... overall, Barnes was the only field player in MLS this season to play every minute of all 30 games.
• With the win, the teams split the 2009 season series, 1-1-0 ... Columbus won the teams' earlier meeting this year - on Oct. 10 at Gillette Stadium - with a 1-0 win.
• Larentowicz's goal in the 79th minute snapped the Revs' scoreless streak 320 minutes extending back to the Revs' match at Colorado on Oct. 3.
• The Revs had been shut out in each of their previous three meetings with Columbus, and had a scoreless stretch that ran to 350 minutes before Larentowicz's goal.
• Sunday's match was the 50th regular-season meeting between the two teams ... Columbus now holds the advantage, 25-16-9, in the all-time, regular-season series.
• The Revolution is just 6-13-6 in Columbus in the regular season, including 5-8-6 at Crew Stadium since the facility opened in 1999 ... after dropping their first five games at Crew Stadium - including the stadium's inaugural match on May 15, 1999 - the Revs are 5-3-6 at the facility since 2002.
• Sunday's match was the final match of the 2009 MLS regular season - No. 225.
• The Revs are now 9-4-1 in regular-season finales ... the Revolution has only closed the season on the road five times, earning a 3-1-1 mark in those matches.
• Jeff Larentowicz's goal was his first of the season and the ninth of his MLS career ... it was also his second career goal against Columbus.
• Matt Reis recorded his eighth shutout of the season, making two saves in the win ... Reis finished the year with MLS' top save percentage (.814).
• This was the first match in which former Revs defender and Canada international Mark Watson sat on the Revolution bench in an assistant coach capacity ... the current Charleston Battery assistant has joined the Revolution coaching staff on an temporary basis, assisting head coach Steve Nicol and goalkeepers coach Gwynne Williams for the remainder of the 2009 season.
