NEW ORLEANS - Rookie forward Adam Cristman continued his torrid preseason form, scoring two goals and adding one assist as the New England Revolution defeated CD Olimpia, 3-1, on Sunday evening at Tad Gormley Stadium. Cristman's goals - his third and fourth in three games for the Revs - helped the Revolution improve to 5-0-0 in 2007 preseason exhibition matches. Andy Dorman scored New England's second goal, his second of the preseason.
A crowd of 8,947 saw the first professional game played at the stadium since Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans, and the first event since Heisman Trophy winner and New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush donated the funds to resurface the playing field.
CD Olimpia, the most-decorated club in Honduras with 27 national titles in their history, tested the Revs in the wide-open contest. Neither team dominated the flow of the game, and the two sides put on a show of up-and-down soccer for 90 minutes in front of the spirited crowd.
With the exhibition being staged during the current FIFA international fixture window, both teams were without the services of several players. Olimpia was missing five members of the Honduras National Team, while the Revs were missing Taylor Twellman (U.S.), Tony Lochhead (New Zealand) and Amaechi Igwe (U.S. Under-20s).
Cristman put the Revs ahead in the 20th minute with his third goal in as many Revs preseason games. Willie Sims knocked down Steve Ralston's lofted pass into the penalty area, Cristman picked up the carom off an Olimpia defender, turned around and shot to the right post from eight yards out past diving Olimpia goalkeeper Ricardo James.
The Revs took the 1-0 lead into the half, before Dorman gave the team a 2-0 advantage in the 50th minute. Steve Ralston sent an angled cross into the area from the right side, where Cristman headed the ball to Dorman. The fourth-year player then headed his shot in past substitute keeper Donis Escobar.
Dorman's goal sparked a scoring flurry for both teams in a four-minute span, as Cristman netted his second goal of the game in the 53rd minute, just three minutes later. He poked in a Jay Heaps cross for the 3-0 lead, but Olimpia's Jose Pacini cut the Revs' lead to two goals when he first-timed a shot from 13 yards out past New England keeper Brad Knighton.
Olimpia continued to push the attack and had several strong bids in the final 10 minutes of the game. Knighton made a diving save in the 85th minute when he pushed aside a driven free kick from 25 yards out that cleared the Revs' four-man wall. In the 87th minute, Marshall Leonard cleared a loose ball over the endline with a Velasquez charging and Knighton caught on the other side of the net.
Knighton earned the start in goal - his second of the preseason - when regular starter Matt Reis came down with the flu during the weekend, and Doug Warren continued to rehabilitate from a hip injury.
The Revolution will conclude its 2007 preseason schedule on Wednesday, March 28, at 7 p.m. CT (8 p.m. ET) with a match against USL side New Orleans Shell Shockers at LSU Soccer Stadium in Baton Rouge, La. A live Internet broadcast of the game is scheduled, and can be accessed at revolutionsoccer.net.
New England Revolution vs. CD Olimpia
March 25, 2007 - Tad Gormley Stadium (New Orleans, La.)
Scoring Summary:
NE - Adam Cristman (unassisted) 20
NE - Andy Dorman (Adam Cristman, Steve Ralston) 50
NE - Cristman (Jay Heaps) 53
OLM - Jose Pacini (Carlos Discua) 54
New England Revolution: Brad Knighton, Avery John, James Riley, Jay Heaps, Khano Smith, Jeff Larentowicz, Shalrie Joseph, Steve Ralston (Marshall Leonard 77), Andy Dorman, Willie Sims (Arsene Oka 71), Adam Cristman (Wells Thompson 58)
Substitutes Not Used: Miguel Gonzalez, Bryan Byrne, Ryan Solle
CD Olimpia: Ricardo James (Donis Escobar 46), Nahun Avila (Rony Morales 46), Arnold Cruz, Edwin Avila, Wilfredo Barahona, Jesus Nava, Carlos Discua (Reynaldo Tilguath 58), Irvin Reina (Milton Palacios 58), Francisco Aguilar (Jose Pacini 46), Jose Arevalo, Wilmer Velasquez
Substitues Not Used: Hendry Thomas, Jose Burgos, Jose Pacini, Jose Surges
Misconduct Summary:
OLM - Jose Arevalo (caution) 46+
NE - Marshall Leonard (caution) 83
Referee: Oscar Ortiz
Referee's Assistants: Stephen Banning, Alex Connelly
Fourth Official: Mitchell Jacobs
Time of Game: 1:54
Weather: Clear, 76 degrees
NOTES
