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New England Revolution vs. Real Salt Lake: Live Game Thread Part 2

FOXBORO, MA - APRIL 9:  Paulo Araujo #23 of Real Salt Lake battles against Pat Phalen #28 of the New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium April 9, 2011 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Gail Oskin/Getty Images)
FOXBORO, MA - APRIL 9: Paulo Araujo #23 of Real Salt Lake battles against Pat Phalen #28 of the New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium April 9, 2011 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Gail Oskin/Getty Images)
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Welcome to the New England Revolution vs. Real Salt Lake live game thread! It's been another eight-day layoff since the Revs' last match, but the odds are stacked against them in this clash at the Rio Tinto. RSL has won the previous two matchups in Utah by a combined score of 11-0, and New England's recent form is in no way encouraging. Salt Lake, on the other hand, are beginning to make their way out of an extended slump and remain well-within striking distance of the Western Conference leaders.

Tonight's key for the Revolution is luck, pure and simple. Salt Lake is quite plainly the better side and has completely owned New England at Rio Tinto since it was built. The Revs need to find goals and defensive organization, but it's going to be very difficult against a team that possesses the ball so much better in midfield and in attack. They're gonna need to stay disciplined defensively if they have any hope at even a draw here.

Here are some game notes:

  • Monday's match will be the 14th all-time meeting between the Revolution and Real Salt Lake, which entered the league as an expansion team in 2005 ... RSL leads the all-time series, 6-4-3, following their victory at Gillette Stadium earlier this year
  • The Revs are 2-3-1 in away matches against Real Salt Lake, and are 0-2-0 in matches played at Rio Tinto Stadium ... in matches played at Rio Tinto Stadium, New England has been out-scored 11-0 combined in 2009 and 2010, with a 6-0 loss two years ago and a 5-0 loss last year
  • Monday's match is the second of two meetings between the two clubs this season, and the only one at Rio Tinto Stadium ... earlier this year on April 9, RSL notched a 2-0 victory over New England at Gillette Stadium
  • Real Salt Lake has won the last three meetings between these two teams ... the Revs' last win came in a 3-1 victory at home on August 23, 2009
  • Since 2009, Real Salt Lake has outscored New England by a combined total of 14-4 in four total meetings
  • The Revs are 2-5-3 in their last 10 meetings with Real Salt Lake after going undefeated (2-0-1) in the first three games of the all-time series
  • Nine of the Revolution's 15 goals against Real Salt Lake have been scored in the second half, 60 percent of the club's total scoring output against RSL ... six of those goals have been scored after the 75th minute
  • New England and Real Salt Lake have never met in any MLS Cup Playoff or U.S. Open Cup matches

Lineups and your comments after the jump.

Lineups

Revolution: Matt Reis; Darrius Barnes, A.J. Soares, Ryan Cochrane, Kevin Alston; Chris Tierney, Shalrie Joseph, Benny Feilhaber, Pat Phelan, Sainey Nyassi; Rajko Lekic

Bench: Bobby Shuttleworth, Ryan Guy, Zak Boggs, Franco Coria, Didier Domi, Kenny Mansally, Zack Schilawski

Real Salt Lake: Nick Rimando; Robbie Russell, Jamison Olave, Nat Borchers, Tony Beltran; Ned Grabavoy, Will Johnson, Andy Williams, Collen Warner; Luis Gil, Alvaro Saborio

Bench: Kyle Beckerman, Fabian Espindola, Chris Wingert, Kyle Reynish, Chris Schuler, Nelson Gonzalez, Jean Alexandre