Revolution vs. Red Bulls U.S. Open Cup 2013: Match Preview and Notes

The quest for the Cup continues tonight as the New England Revolution take on the New York Red Bulls in Fox - wait, no, it's in Cambridge, at Harvard. This is, as far as I can tell, the first time the Revs have ever played an Open Cup match in the city, so it's a great opportunity for the urban crowd that has difficulty getting down to Foxboro to take in a game.

This is going to be a tough game for the Revs any way you look at it. While they want to win this competition and plan to go all-in for it, by necessity they are going to need to rest some starters and play some fringe guys, something that can always lead to a team being exposed. The only saving grace is that the Red Bulls will likely do the exact same thing. However, New York head coach Mike Petke is unlikely to make the same sort of mistake his predecessor, Hans Backe, did by taking the competition lightly. It's going to be a dogfight from start to finish.

With Donnie Smith out of the match due to injury and Dimitry Imbongo possibly sidelined from the injury he picked up in the last US Open Cup round, the Revs are bound to do a little lineup shuffling. Tyler Polak and Gabe Latigue are available if the need arises, and it's a good bet that at least one of them will get a start in some capacity.

REVOLUTION INJURY REPORT

OUT: Kevin Alston (Disabled list, Illness); Donnie Smith (L Hamstring Strain); Clyde Simms (R Knee Sprain)
QUESTIONABLE: Dimitry Imbongo (L Groin Strain)

RED BULLS INJURY REPORT - as of 5/31

UNCATEGORIZED: Ian Christianson (R Foot Injury); Digao (Heel injury)

TEAM NOTES

• Wednesday's match will be the third meeting between the two teams in the U.S. Open Cup
• New York is 2-0-0 against New England is USOC play
• New York (then the MetroStars) won the first-ever USOC meeting between the two clubs, 2-1 in extra time, in 2003
• New York shut out the Revs the last time the two teams met in USOC play, winning 3-0 at Red Bull Arena in 2010
• The two clubs have met twice in MLS already this year...the Red Bulls won 4-1 on April 20 at Red Bull Arena, before the teams played to a 1-1 draw at Gillette Stadium on May 11
• All-time, the Revs lead the MLS series 26-19-14

PLAYER NOTES

• Chad Barrett has scored four goals against New York, all coming in 2008 - two each while playing with Chicago and Toronto
• Andy Dorman, despite not playing a game against New York since 2007, is the Revs' leading active scorer in MLS play against the Red Bulls with two goals...Dorman's last goal against the Red Bulls came on July 7, 2007, in a 1-0 win at Giants Stadium
• Matt Reis is 10-4-7 in his Revolution career against the Red Bulls, posting a 1.27 goals against average and six shutouts

BROADCAST INFORMATION

STREAM: revolutionsoccer.net, 7:30 PM EDT