Aug. 28, 2002 – Revolution 3:1 Colorado Rapids. First Revolution win at (renamed) Gillette Stadium (Att.: 13,210)
Post by frankdellapa@gmail.com
The Revolution won their second successive match as things seemed to be transforming for the team. After a 2-1 loss to the Chicago Fire on Aug. 18, 2002, the Revolution were in ninth place in the overall standings, 7 points away from a playoff berth with six matches remaining.
Against the Rapids, Taylor Twellman snapped a four-game scoreless streak with 27th– and 39th-minute goals, tying the Los Angeles Galaxy’s Carlos Ruiz for the MLS lead with 17 goals. Twellman would total eight goals in the final five games of the season, finishing with 23, second to Ruiz (24).
This was the second game of a six-match (5W-0L-1D) unbeaten streak to close the regular season as the Revolution made a remarkable run to win the Eastern Conference.
The streak began with Daouda Kante heading in an 89th-minute corner kick to decide a 2-1 victory over the Chicago Fire in Naperville, Ill., on Aug. 24, 2002. Before that match, the Revolution appeared a long shot for the playoffs, but victories over Chicago and Colorado pulled them within 4 points of a playoff berth. Then, the Revolution played to a 0-0 draw at Columbus on Aug. 30, the key play an Adin Brown diving tip off the post of a Jeff Cunningham breakaway shot. Though Brown was not credited with a save, the play helped earn a point for the Revolution, who would not have had post-season home field advantage without it.
The Revolution went into the game against the Rapids with a three-game home losing streak (losses to Chicago, Colorado and Kansas City) as CMGI Stadium transitioned naming rights to Gillette Stadium. The new stadium, inaugurated with a Revolution 2-0 win over Dallas on May 11, 2002, had not been providing an advantage for the team, which had a 4W-7L-0D home record before this win. But this result ignited a seven-match (5W-0L-2D) home unbeaten streak through the playoffs, concluding with a 1-0 defeat against the Galaxy in the MLS Cup final before a 61,316 crowd on Oct. 20, 2002.
Twellman opened the scoring with a shot that deflected off Robin Fraser. Then, Daniel Hernandez converted a 39th-minute free kick and, seconds later, Twellman finished a Steve Ralston long ball, current Revolution coach Jay Heaps also credited with an assist. Steve Nicol, who would be named MLS coach of the year, made two early substitutions. Rusty Pierce replaced current Revolution assistant coach Carlos Llamosa, who was injured, in the 12th minute, and Brian Kamler entered for Winston Griffiths in the 36th minute. Twellman sustained bruises on both ankles and was replaced by Nick Downing, later to become Revolution fitness coach, in the 89th minute.
The match also marked the final Gillette Stadium appearance of Carlos Valderrama, who made his Foxborough debut as Colombia took a 2-0 victory over Northern Ireland in a World Cup warmup match before a 21,053 crowd on June 3, 1994.
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