New England Revolution vs. Los Angeles Galaxy: Home Match Live Game Thread

WHO: New England Revolution vs. Los Angeles Galaxy
WHERE: Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, MA
WHEN: Saturday, May 28th, 7:30 PM EST

Welcome to the New England Revolution vs. Los Angeles Galaxy live game thread! The Revs are set to complete their season series with the SoCal club in Foxboro this evening after opening the season with a 1-1 draw at the Home Depot Center.

The key for the Revolution tonight is to be intelligent and careful in possession. In the last three league matches or so - including last week's loss to San Jose - New England has gotten much better at holding onto the ball and winning the possession battle in midfield. They will need to continue that trend tonight, because the Galaxy are nigh-untouchable if they are allowed to knock the ball around at will. The Revs also need to be sure they take care of the ball when in possession; LA has the speed and talent to quickly take advantage of any miscues to devastating effect. The slightest mistake could lead to a goal.

Here are some game notes:
Saturday’s game will be 35th all-time meeting between the Revs and Galaxy, with LA leading the all-time regular-season series history, 15-13-6

·         New England has a modest two-game undefeated streak against LA following the teams’ 1-1 draw at The Home Depot Center on March 20

·         The Revs are 9-5-2 against LA at home, including a 6-1-2 mark at Gillette Stadium … New England’s 2-0 win against LA last year at home snapped the team’s only two-game winless streak ever against LA at Gillette Stadium

·         The Revs are 4-10-4 against LA on the road, including a 4-8-3 mark at The Home Depot Center … the Revs are 2-2-1 in their last five visits to LA to face the Galaxy

·         The winner of Saturday’s game will win the 2011 season series between the teams … the Revolution and Galaxy split the 2010 season series, with LA winning the opener, 1-0, in Carson, Calif., on March 27, and the Revs winning the return leg, 2-0, on July 10, at home

·         LA won the first four season series (1996-99) between the two clubs, but nine consecutive season series were either won by the Revs or drawn between 2000 and 2008 ... LA won the 2009 series prior to last year’s split

·         New England and LA have met in the MLS Cup Playoffs twice - both the 2002 and 2005 MLS Cup Final ... the Galaxy won both meetings in overtime, 1-0 ... the 2002 meeting was in Foxborough, while the 2005 match was at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas

·         The Revs and Galaxy have played in one U.S. Open Cup match - the 2001 championship game in Fullerton, Calif., which LA won, 2-1, in overtime

Lineups and your comments after the jump!

Lineups

Revolution: Reis; Alston, Cochrane, Soares, Barnes; Boggs, Feilhaber, Joseph (c), McCarthy, Tierney; Lekic

Bench: Shuttleworth, Coria, Domi, Koger, Nyassi, Phelan, Schilawski

Galaxy: Ricketts; Franklin, DeLaGarza, Gonzalez, Dunivant; Donovan, Beckham, Juninho, Magee; Barrett, Lopez

Bench: Saunders, Berhalter, Birchall, Cardozo, Hejduk, Jordan, Stephens