Preview: Revs tasked with halting skid at East rivals DC

RFK MEMORIAL STADIUM, Washington, D.C.
7:30 p.m. ET (CSN-MA; CSN-NE)
July 20, 2011 (WEEK 19; MLS Game 180)

D.C. United and the New England Revolution renew their long-standing Eastern Conference rivalry when the clubs meet at midweek at RFK Stadium. United are unbeaten in five games, coming off a scoreless draw last weekend at FC Dallas. The Revolution are in the midst of a nine-game winless skid, after falling 3-0 to Philadelphia Union at home last weekend.

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REFEREE: Michael Kennedy. SAR (bench): Kermit Quisenberry; JAR (opposite): Bill Dittmar; 4th: Jose Carlos Rivero
MLS Career: 134 games; FC/gm: 29.1; Y/gm: 3.8; R: 24; pens: 46

INJURY REPORT: D.C. UNITED — OUT: MF Branko Boskovic (L ACL tear); MF Brandon Barklage (concussion); DF Devon McTavish (concussion); MF Santino Quaranta (concussion); DF Jed Zayner (L knee sprain); QUESTIONABLE: DF Marc Burch (R hamstring strain); FW Josh Wolff (L hamstring strain); PROBABLE: DF Dejan Jakovic (L hamstring strain) ... NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION — OUT: FW Kheli Dube (whiplash); PROBABLE: DF Kevin Alston (L hamstring tightness); MF Zak Boggs (L high ankle sprain); DF Ryan Cochrane (L foot pain); DF Chris Tierney (L hamstring tightness)

INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
SUSPENDED: NE: Benny Feilhaber (through July 20)
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: NE: Ryan Cochrane, Stephen McCarthy
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: DC: Fred, Ethan White ... NE: Pat Phelan, Rajko Lekic

HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (55 meetings): United 25 wins (4 shootout), 80 goals ... Revolution 22 wins (3 shootout), 71 goals ... Ties 8
AT D.C. (26 meetings): United 16 wins (2 shootout), 51 goals ... Revolution 6 wins (1 shootout), 37 goals ... Ties 4

• Goals from Zach Schilawski and Shalrie Joseph in the opening 17 minutes sent the Revolution on their way to a 2-1 victory in the first meeting between the teams, March 26 at Gillette Stadium.
• The Revolution are carrying a four-game winning streak against United, including victories in both meetings a year ago while keeping D.C. scoreless (2-0 at RFK Stadium, 1-0 at Gillette Stadium).
• United last won in New England on Aug. 5, 2007, now four visits without a victory.
• The Revolution's win at RFK Stadium last year was their first since the 2006 season, when they won 2-1 on Oct. 7, then claimed a 1-0 victory there in the Eastern Conference Championship.
• Coaches record: Steve Nicol vs. DC: P32 W14 L10 D8 ... Ben Olsen v NE: P2 W0 L2 D0

LAST MEETING (MLS)
3/26: NE 2, DC 1 (Schilawski 8, Joseph 17 pen — Davies 89 pen)

• Zach Schilawski opened the scoring for the home side after just eight minutes. Shalrie Joseph's diagonal ball from the right side of midfield located the second-year striker's run inside the penalty area, and though there were appeals for a handball, he tucked home his first goal of the season at the second attempt.
• Joseph then doubled the lead from the spot in the 17th minute after United's Dax McCarty caught Pat Phelan as he attempted to clear from inside his own area, and this time referee Baldomero Toledo pointed to the spot.
• United won a penalty of their own after 89 minutes when Ryan Cochrane was adjudged to have fouled Joseph Ngwenya as they jostled for a free kick. Charlie Davies stepped up to notch his third goal in two games — and his second from the spot — by firing straight down the middle in the first minute of stoppage time.
• United hopes for a late equalizer ended when Dejan Jakovic was sent off in stoppage time.
• NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION (4-2-3-1): Matt Reis - Kevin Alston, Franco Coria (Ryan Cochrane 48), A.J. Soares, Didier Domi -Stephen McCarthy, Pat Phelan - Zak Boggs (Kheli Dube 32), Shalrie Joseph, Sainey Nyassi (Ryan Kinne 89) - Zack Schilawski
• D.C. UNITED (4-1-3-2): Pat Onstad - Chris Korb, Dejan Jakovic, Rodrigo Brasesco (Fred 46), Marc Burch - Kurt Morsink (Santino Quaranta 74) - Andy Najar, Dax McCarty, Chris Pontius - Joseph Ngwenya, Josh Wolff (Charlie Davies 46).

D.C. UNITED
D.C. United kept a clean sheet for a second consecutive match, a scoreless draw with FC Dallas on Saturday evening at Pizza Hut Park. United have 23 points from 18 games on the year, sitting in a tie for fifth place in the Eastern Conference.

LAST MATCH

• The teams combined for just three shots on goal in drifting to the scoreless draw. Jackson nearly gave FC Dallas a late winner, but his diving header rattled off the crossbar in the 87th minute.
• United coach Ben Olsen made one change to the team that came away from Red Bull Arena with a 1-0 victory against the New York Red Bulls. Joseph Ngwenya replaced Josh Wolff in attack.
• D.C. UNITED (4-1-3-2): Bill Hamid - Perry Kitchen, Ethan White, Brandon McDonald, Daniel Woolard - Clyde Simms - Andy Najar (Stephen King 72), Dwayne De Rosario, Chris Pontius - Charlie Davies (Fred 54), Joseph Ngwenya.

TEAM NEWS

• D.C. United recorded a second consecutive shutout in the scoreless draw at FC Dallas over the weekend, their first back-to-back shutouts since Aug. 22-29, 2009.
• United are now unbeaten in five games, with a victory and four draws in that time, since a 4-2 loss to San Jose at RFK Stadium on June 11.
• "Today was just one of those days where either team could have taken it. They certainly had better chances and they were probably more aggressive in the offensive part, but give the guys credit it's not easy to come out here and shut down a very athletic and fast team," said United head coach Ben Olsen. "Overall, it was very good point for us."
• Fred was supposed to have made his United farewell against the New York Red Bulls, but the club asked his new side in Melbourne for two additional matches. He came on for the final 36 minutes against Dallas and will be available for the New England game, his last with United.
• Joseph Ngwenya made his first start since May 29, coming in for Josh Wolff, who was a late scratch from the United lineup.
• On Monday, United completed another deal, obtaining midfielder Austin da Luz from the New York Red Bulls in exchange for an international slot.
• "You're never comfortable with your team. You always want more and you're always looking to get better but I really think the additions have helped us," said Olsen. "We have some good depth now. We just have to get fully healthy."

NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION
The New England Revolution had their winless run extended to nine games, falling 3-0 to Philadelphia Union on Sunday evening at Gillette Stadium. The Revolution have 16 points from 19 matches, in ninth place in the Eastern Conference.

LAST MATCH

• Union were ahead after just 12 minutes. Justin Mapp carved out a bit of space and crossed to Keon Daniel at the back post. Daniel headed back across the face of goal for Carlos Ruiz to acrobatically volley home from close range.
• Philadelphia doubled the advantage after 24 minutes to complete another tidy piece of play. Kyle Nakazawa's free kick from midfield located Sebastien Le Toux outside the near post. Le Toux nodded the ball across the face of goal for Carlos Valdes to volley home his first MLS goal.
• The Revolution were left a man down after 66 minutes when Benny Feilhaber was shown a second yellow card after a tackle on Ruiz.
• Sheanon Williams concluded a fine night for Union by scoring in stoppage time, racing clear of the Revolution back line to run onto a pass from Danny Mwanga and stabbing the ball past goalkeeper Matt Reis.
• Revolution head coach Steve Nicol made three changes to the team that reached a 3-3 draw with Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto Stadium. Franco Coria came into the back four for the suspended Ryan Cochrane, and Stephen McCarthy and Kenny Mansally also came into the team, in place of Darrius Barnes and the suspended Shalrie Joseph.
• NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION (4-2-3-1): Matt Reis - Kevin Alston, A.J. Soares, Franco Coria (Darrius Barnes 46), Chris Tierney - Pat Phelan, Stephen McCarthy - Kenny Mansally (Zack Schilawski 79), Benny Feilhaber (sent off 66), Sainey Nyassi (Zak Boggs 46) - Rajko Lekic.

TEAM NEWS

• The Revolution saw their winless streak reach nine games in the 3-0 loss to Philadelphia, matching the club record set in 1998 (0-9 between May 13 and July 1).
• "I think the first half is about worse as I've been here. It was like watching a bunch of schoolboys. As bad as we were, if we hadn't given the two goals away, we might have gotten it nil-nil. But we didn't deserve it," said Revolution head coach Steve Nicol.
• The Revolution failed to record a shot on goal for the first time this season, and only the third time in club history. The last time the club failed to record a shot on goal was Sept. 13, 2009, a 2-0 loss at Chivas USA.
• "We talked after the Salt Lake game that everybody needs to take a look at themselves and we really have to get on the same page. We have guys doing a bunch of different things, we're losing goals on set pieces and it was very uninspired out there," said Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis. "We didn't show all the stuff that we needed to do. We didn't fight and all in all it was a terrible game."
• The Revolution were missing Shalrie Joseph for a second time this season, both due to suspension, after he surpassed the limit for yellow cards.
• "I think you look at the first half, (missing Shalrie Joseph is) exactly what we did. Shalrie will open his mouth and will get people into the places they should be and all the other stuff. So when you don't have that and everyone's kind of relying on someone else, guys need to take responsibility and we didn't do that first half," Nicol said. "The only positive was second half we put up a bit of a fight, made it difficult for them, but the red card made it difficult after that."
• After scoring at midweek in the friendly against Manchester United, Kenny Mansally returned to the starting lineup for the first time since June 18.
• The Revolution have also lost two of their offseason signings over the last week, with Didier Domi released from his contract and Ousmane Dabo announcing his retirement.
• "We need some new faces, which we're trying to do. Again, we made two offers over the weekend of which one we thought was done and the final hour we find out the player signed for someone else," Nicol said. "That's happened two or three occasions already over the course of the season — we've made offers, of which players have asked for and we've agreed to it, and the final minute they go somewhere else."