Gameday: #NEvSJ
- Updated: March 28, 2015
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Good afternoon from snowy Gillette Stadium, where the Revolution (0-0-2, 1 point) will hope that the fourth time is a charm for getting their first goal and first win of the season with the San Jose Earthquakes (2-1-0, 6 points) on tap. Kickoff is set for 3:00pm.
We’ve got yellow lines on the field, presumably because of the snow. Do we also see a yellow ball?
What’s at stake? The first set of three points for the Revolution, who grabbed their first result of the season last week against the Impact. For the Earthquakes, a road point will suit them just fine after getting wins from Seattle and Chicago during the last two weeks.
Biggest question: Can the Revolution finally capitalize on their chances after letting the ones they created against New York City and Montreal go to waste? The hosts have created 21 chances through their first three, which is actually the seventh-best figure in MLS. But as we all know, chances don’t mean a thing unless you convert them.
Noteworthy: Saturday’s match will be the first time Dominic Kinnear will be on the sidelines at Gillette Stadium as coach of the Earthquakes since 2005. Kinnear, who led the Dynamo to back-to-back titles over the Revolution in the 2006 and 2007 MLS Cup finals, left Houston for his old stomping grounds during the offseason. Those who’ve followed the league long enough will remember that the original incarnation of the ‘Quakes left San Jose for Houston after the 2005 season.
Weather: It’s snowing here in Foxborough with temperatures in the mid-30s. You may recall that the last time snow was on the pitch for a Revolution match at Gillette Stadium, it turned out to be a classic: the second leg of the 2005 Eastern Conference Semifinals, which the hosts won 3-1 (3-2 on aggregate). Obviously the stakes aren’t as high in this one, but you can’t help but picture Khano Smith blasting one through from a tough angle with the snow covering the Gillette Stadium pitch.
Rivero to serve as referee: Jose Carlos Rivero will be the man in the middle for Saturday’s contest. The last time Rivero refereed a Revolution match was a 2-1 win for the hosts over the Columbus Crew on Oct. 4, 2014. Waylon Francis picked up a second caution in the 70th minute to give the Revolution the man-advantage for the duration. Accompanying Rivero will be Gianni Facchini (AR1) and Eric Weisbrod (AR2) while Alan Kelly will serve as the fourth official.
Related Posts
About Brian O'Connell
