Revs Edged in PKs, Lose Tourney Cup

After a scoreless 90 minutes, Marcelo Sarvas slotted home the game-winning penalty as the Galaxy claimed the FC Tucson Desert Diamond Cup championship by beating the Revolution 0-0 (4-2 on penalties) on Saturday.

Galaxy keeper Brian Perk stopped two penalties while Sarvas converted on the Galaxy’s final try to give the Galaxy their second trophy in five months. Revolution keeper Matt Reis snuffed out the second L.A. penalty shot, but Ryan Guy and Benny Feilhaber had their shots saved as the Revolution fell short of extending their preseason winning streak to seven.

Despite fielding a number of first-teamers, the Revolution nearly watched a Galaxy B team beat them to the board in the 3rd minute. Juninho sent a pass inside the box to Michael Stephens, who’s close range shot strayed just wide of the near post.

After escaping the early hiccup, Blake Brettschneider broke into the Galaxy area alone on Perk. But, a Galaxy defender arrived in time to deflect the striker’s shot toward Perk, who made the easy save in the 6th minute.

Defensive lapses were the order of the first half, but neither club capitalized on the other’s mistakes.

In the 17th minute, former Revolution midfielder/forward Pat Noonan found space near the edge of the box and ripped a shot that Reis swatted away. Three minutes later, Feilhaber fired a searing free kick on frame, but Perk stood right in its path.

Before the half hour mark, Feilhaber nearly handed the Galaxy a goal when he casual sent a back pass right to Jack McBean, who went alone on Reis. But the Revolution keeper denied the youngster the opening goal by pushing it aside.

Minutes later, Feilhaber seemed ready to atone for the mistake when he grabbed a Chris Tierney ball down the left flank. From there, the left winger sent it inside to Brettschneier, who redirected it outside of the near post in the 34th minute.

Sensing the need to plug the holes that the Galaxy seemed all too happy to exploit in the first half, Jay Heaps inserted John Lozano and Darrius Barnes in the back for the second half.

Although the defense did tighten itself up in the second frame, the Revolution were undone by its repeated failures to execute inside the attacking third.

Saer Sene, who looked dangerous with the ball near the net, was haunted by poor finishing and indecisiveness for much of the night.

In the 57th minute, Clyde Simms delivered a low, long pass to the Frenchman, who raced with it into the area. But taking too much time to pull the trigger, he was left to take a hurried shot that went right to Perk.

Meanwhile, after a quiet first half, Kelyn Rowe asserted himself well by sending tempting passes in the attacking third. The first came in the 63rd minute, when he went down the right and crossed it over to Shalrie Joseph on the doorstep before his header went over the bar.

In an identical sequence in the 77th minute, Rowe sent another pass to Joseph inside the box. But this time, Joseph, realizing he didn’t have the angle to send it through, instead directed it to Sene. The only problem was the Sene was caught off guard and watched it fall away before the Galaxy cleared it out.

The Revolution found one last opportunity to win it in regulation when Fernando Cardenas snaked through the middle of the park then pounded it off the post in the 82nd minute.

With penalties left to decide it after 90 minutes failed to separate the sides, Guy saw his first shot stopped while Reis and Joseph sent theirs through. But after L.A. converted three of their last four, and Perk gobbled up Feilhaber’s attempt, the stage was set for Sarvas, who put it through with ease.

The Revolution finish their preseason with a 6-0-1 record under Heaps. Now, their attention will turn to season opener against San Jose on Mar. 10 at Buck Shaw Stadium. The game is set to kick off at 10:30am ET.

2 Comments

1. 

   Chris B

   March 4, 2012 at 1:34 pm

   Fun chatting with you during the game as always! I’m excited to start the season but a little worried. Mostly about why Lozano never played a full 90, why Benny wasn’t good last night (hopefully just an off night) and mostly why Sene couldn’t finish. I definitely think we’ll be better than last year though!

   Reply
2. 

   Brian O'Connell

   March 5, 2012 at 10:29 am

   Likewise, Chris! My guess is that Lozano didn’t see a full 90 b/c he picked up an injury early in camp, and Heaps later acknowledged that it may have been a product of trying to go from 0 to 60 right off the bat. So, it may have just been to force Lozano to ease him in before the season starts. As far as Benny and Sene – I think it was simply off night for both. Benny will be better and Sene will have to be better.

   Reply