The New England Revolution Reserves (0-1-2, 2 pts.) drew 0-0 with the Chivas USA reserves (1-0-2, 4 pts.) on the Lower Practice Field at Gillette Stadium in rainy conditions on Sunday, May 14. Revs goalkeeper Doug Warren produced several excellent saves for New England to post the shutout. Former Revolution midfielder Braden Cloutier appeared for Chivas USA in the first half.
Chivas USA was forced to make an early substitution after the Revs' reserve team captain, Jeff Larentowicz, took a thunderous direct free kick from just beyond the penalty arc, straight into the Chivas USA defensive wall. Rene Corona replaced Chivas USA defender Esteban Arias after Arias took the brunt of Larentowicz's blast flush in the forehead.
Warren made three important saves in the middle portion of the first half, first denying guest forward Andriy Buddny in the 18th minute on a sharp shot from six yards out after Buddny had worked a neat passing combination in the box with midfielder Brent Whitfield. In the 28th minute, Warren came up big again on Buddny, also on a powerful blast from just outside the goal area, after Buddny combined with strike partner Estuardo Sanchez. Chivas USA would go close yet again, two minutes later, when Buddny played setup man for Carlos Borja's shot with Warren in position to again make a save. The Revs' best chance of the half came in the 31st minute, when forward Willie Sims was played through on breakaway after a Chivas USA turnover at midfield. Sims took a low hard shot from the right center channel, well outside of the penalty area, that tested goalkeeper Preston Burpo. The Chivas USA keeper, however, was able to flash out with his right foot to make a kick save. Then, in the 34th minute, Chivas USA again asked questions of the New England defense when Whitfield caused a goalmouth scramble after making a dribble run down the right side of the penalty area. Revs defender Pat Haggerty, however, was able to calmly clear the ball from the top of the six-yard box out to midfield.
The second half saw both teams struggle to create good scoring opportunities as the rain increased in intensity. In the 47th minute, the Revs went close when forward Kyle Brown played Anders Kelto in down the right channel, but the New England guest midfielder's shot was just wide of the far, left post. In the 62nd minute, Warren once again came to the Revs' rescue, diving to his right to make a save on Buddny's fizzed shot from the top of the area. In the 80th minute, Warren denied Buddny, a striker out of Azusa Pacific University who plays for the Cascade Surge of the PDL, for a final time in the match. Buddny's low shot from 24 yards out forced Warren to full stretch to push the shot around the near, left post.
CHIVAS USA RESERVES: Preston Burpo, Darren Spicer, Lawson Vaughn, Trevor Persson, Esteban Arias (Rene Corona 12), Carlos Borja, Braden Cloutier (Orlando Perez 46), Rodrigo Lopez, Brent Whitfield, Andriy Buddny, Estuardo Sanchez
NEW ENGLAND RESERVES: Doug Warren, Danny Wynn, Pat Haggerty, James Greenslit (Dane Smith 74), Geoff Walker (Ian Wexler 74), Zachary Tobin, Jeff Larentowicz, Anders Kelto, Anthony Tornaritis (Craig Lamy 46), Willie Sims (Darnell Nance 60), Kyle Brown (Adrian Melville 60)
SCORING SUMMARY:
None
CAUTIONS:
NER - Jeff Larentowicz (22)
