Revolution try to advance vs. Atlas

New England leads Group B with six points in two games

NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION vs CLUB ATLAS
Group Stage - GROUP B - Match 11
Sunday, June 28, 2009 - 4:30 p.m. ET
Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass.

REFEREE: Ricardo Cerdas Sanchez (CRC)
ASSISTANT REFEREES: Alejandro Azofeifa (CRC); Osvaldo Luna (USA)
FOURTH OFFICIAL: TBD (USA)

For the New England Revolution, the scenario is very simple - even if they lose, they will not qualify for the semifinals of SuperLiga only if the Kansas City Wizards also win. However, a win or a draw against Atlas will secure advancement for New England; if it's a draw, then Atlas must hope for goals in their game and a low-scoring draw in Kansas City.

New England Revolution

Despite going a man down, the New England Revolution were able to hang on for a draw in leave themselves in the driver's seat to reach the SuperLiga semifinals. Had they been able to hold on for five minutes more, they would have secured their final four berth. "It's a rotten goal to lose ... I think the way we were performing we deserved the three points certainly before the sending off, we had made chances -- the goalie had made a couple saves, we had hit the post," said Revolution boss Steve Nicol. After scoring in the first game of the season, Kheli Dube had gone 11 league games without hitting the back of the net. Now he's scored twice in two SuperLiga games to lead all goalscorers - the goal against Kansas City coming after he was left as a lone striker following the ejection of Mike Videira. "(Dube) held the ball up well and had good movement and made some chances for others, and had a couple shots himself," Nicol said. Said Dube: "I think I do what I have to do. We had a lot of shots; they had one shot and got a goal. We have to work hard as a team and try to stay compact and manage the game." With a glut of injuries facing the club, Videira's red card was a double blow. "Well we probably need more players. We're running out of players. Mike Videira's going to be sidelined, so that's another one down. So at the present time we're counting bodies along with counting points," Nicol said.

Club Atlas

Just as in the opening match against Kansas City, the young Atlas side came out the stronger, with Dario Bottinelli and Edgar Pacheco again pulling the strings in the midfield. "It was a complicated game," Ayala said. "It was a congested game. Neither team could generate many chances," said Atlas captain, defender Hugo Ayala. "We know that we have to win, no matter what, in order to continue in the tournament." Despite having yet to score a goal in the competition, Atlas technical director Ricardo La Volpe said he is content with the team's performance. "We're working hard. Atlas is a team in training. We're regularly taking players from below. It's been decided with the management. We want to get that feeling again, to give that Atlas drive in training these youngsters. Defensively and in the midfield we've walked well, but in the final third we've lacked the attack. We haven't allowed a goal, but we're poor in front." To boost the attack, there is a chance Miguel Zepeda could line up for the Zorros. In addition, Hebert Alferez received stitches after the clash of heads with Santos' Christian Sanchez that forced him from the field Wednesday, but is available for duty. On a day that Atlas signed a new goalkeeper, Juan Francisco Canales recorded his second clean sheet of the tournament, credited with making two saves. Atlas signed 26-year-old goalkeeper Juan Marcelo Ojeda, who was the third-string goalkeeper at Argentina's River Plate, to a three-year contract worth a reported $600,000.

Previous encounters

The New England Revolution were champions of last year's SuperLiga, defeating three Mexican clubs along the way, all by 1-0 scorelines. It marked the first time the Revolution faced Mexican sides in official competition. Before SuperLiga 2009, Atlas has never faced an MLS club in official competition.

State of play

The winner between Revolution v Atlas will qualify for the semifinals. If the Revolution-Atlas match is a tie, then the Revs will qualify for the semifinals. The only way the Revolution cannot be in the semifinals is if Atlas and Kansas City both win.