FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - Forward Kheli Dube scored the game's only goal in the 70th minute and goalkeeper Matt Reis made two saves to record a shutout, as the New England Revolution defeated Santos Laguna, 1-0, in the opening match of SuperLiga 2008's Group B on Sunday night at Gillette Stadium.
With the win, the Revs (1-0-0, 3 pts.) moved to the top of Group B, while reigning Mexican Clausura 2008 champion Santos (0-1-0, 0 pts.) dropped to last in the four-team group. The remaining two teams in Group B - MLS side Chivas USA and Mexico's Pachuca - were scheduled to square off at The Home Depot Center late Sunday night.
The first good chance of the match fell to New England's Shalrie Joseph in the 12th minute, as Ralston worked his way to the right end-line before laying a pass off to the trailing Joseph. The Grenada international had space to release a shot, but fired his effort high.
Santos almost opened the scoring in the 35th minute on its first shot on goal of the match, but Reis was well positioned to deny Oribe Peralta's point-blank header. Edgar Castillo created space down the left side and sent an in-swinging cross to the far post for Peralta, but the forward's powerful header was pushed away by Reis.
The match took a dramatic turn in the 40th minute, when "Los Guerreros" were reduced to 10 men with the ejection of midfielder Juan Pablo Rodriguez for an elbow to the face of New England midfielder Sainey Nyassi.
Despite playing shorthanded, Santos appeared to take the lead just before the halftime break, as the ball ended up in the back of the net following a free kick. However, the goal was ruled out for offside and the teams completed the first 45 minutes scoreless.
The visitors had the first opportunity of the second half in the 51st minute, as Fernando Arce burst through the middle of the Revs defense and released a left-footed drive from the top of the box, but his effort sailed wide left.
Dube then had back-to-back chances for the Revolution in the 53rd and 54th minutes, but his first shot - a full volley at the back post - was saved by goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez, while his second effort - a near post header - went wide.
The Revs finally broke the deadlock in the 70th minute, as Nyassi and Ralston teamed up to create the goal for Dube. Nyassi used his pace to burst past his marker down the right wing and work his way to the end-line, cutting in towards the near post. The 19-year-old Gambian played a pass back to Ralston, who flicked a back-heel into the path of Dube, whose right-footed shot from near the penalty spot slipped inside the right post.
Los Guerreros' last chance to equalize came in the 77th minute, but Arce's free kick from 20 yards out curled just wide of the upper right corner.
New England will continue Group B action in SuperLiga 2008 on Wednesday, July 16, when the club will host reigning SuperLiga and CONCACAF Champions Cup champion Pachuca at 8 p.m. ET at Gillette Stadium. The Revs will be participating in SuperLiga throughout the month of July before resuming their MLS regular-season schedule on Saturday, Aug. 9, when they will host the Chicago Fire at Gillette Stadium.
New England Revolution vs. Santos Laguna
July 13, 2008 - Foxborough, Mass. (Gillette Stadium)
Scoring Summary:
NE - Kheli Dube (Steve Ralston) 70
New England Revolution: Matt Reis (GK), Amaechi Igwe (Pat Phelan 64), Michael Parkhurst, Jay Heaps, Chris Albright, Steve Ralston, Shalrie Joseph, Jeff Larentowicz, Sainey Nyassi (Wells Thompson 90), Kenny Mansally (Khano Smith 58), Kheli Dube
Substitutes Not Used: Doug Warren (GK), Chase Hilgenbrinck, Chris Tierney, Rob Valentino
STATS: Shots 8; Shots on Goal 4; Saves 2; Corner Kicks 3; Offsides 1; Fouls Committed 24
Santos Laguna: Oswaldo Sanchez (GK), Ivan Estrada, Rafael Figueroa, Fernando Ortiz, Osmar Mares (Christian Benitez 72), Fernando Arce (Jorge Barrera 78), Juan Pablo Rodriguez, Francisco Torres, Matias Vuoso, Edgar Castillo (Gregorio Torres 69), Oribe Peralta (Johnnie Lopez 51)
Substitutes Not Used: Miguel Becerra (GK), Agustin Herrera, Juan Santiago
STATS: Shots 6; Shots on Goal 2; Saves 3; Corner Kicks 4; Offsides 9; Fouls Committed 7
Misconduct Summary:
SAN - Osmar Mares (caution) 23
SAN - Juan Pablo Rodriguez (ejection) 40
SAN - Edgar Castillo (caution) 40
NE - Michael Parkhurst (caution) 44
NE - Pat Phelan (caution) 76
NE - Jay Heaps (caution) 90
NE - Kheli Dube (caution) 93+
Referee: Enrico Wijngaarde
Referee's Assistants: Williams Torres (SAR), Juan Zumba (JAR)
Fourth Official: Mark Geiger
Time of Game: 1:50
Weather: Partly cloudy and 78 degrees
Attendance: 10,118
NOTES
•The match was the Revolution's first-ever in SuperLiga, which had its first year of competition in 2007.
•The game was New England's first-ever competitive match against a Mexican club team ... the club had played numerous friendlies against Mexican sides, but never a match as part of an official competition.
•New England's only two previous appearances in international competitions were in the CONCACAF Champions Cup in 2003 and 2006 ... the Revs lost to LD Alajuelense of Costa Rica on both occasions.
•For the second time this season, Steve Ralston was used as a forward following a second-half substitution ... Khano Smith entered the match in the 58th minute, replacing forward Kenny Mansally ... Smith slotted into the left side of midfield, pushing Steve Ralston up top to replace Mansally at forward ... Ralston was also used as a forward against New York on June 18 and scored the game-tying goal in the 79th minute.
•Shalrie Joseph also made his second appearance of the season as an attacking midfielder, moving into the position in the 64th minute when Pat Phelan replaced Amaechi Igwe and the Revs switched to a 3-5-2.
•Michael Parkhurst, Pat Phelan, Jay Heaps and Kheli Dube all received yellow cards in the match, meaning that if any of them receive another yellow card in group play, they will receive a one-game suspension.
