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Tonight marks the beginning of the end for the Revolution, who will conclude the preseason by kicking off the FC Tucson Desert Diamond Cup against the Houston Dynamo.
The Revs have enjoyed a productive preseason thus far, going unbeaten in friendlies against Minnesota United, the New York Red Bulls and Sporting KC. Kei Kamara has led the way for the navy and red, logging a goal in all three matches.
Despite this run of play, Kamara will only play a 45-minute shift tonight, as Head Coach Jay Heaps plans to field a fresh lineup for the second half of play. The club’s core players will return for full shifts over the weekend, when the Revs face the Colorado Rapids (Feb. 18) and Sporting KC (Feb. 22).
Expecting to see two separate groups play 45 mins tonight. It'll be the weekend games that they start pushing towards 80, 90 mins. #NERevs
— Jeff Lemieux (@jeff_lemieux) February 15, 2017
Six-time participants in the Desert Diamond Cup, the Revs took home the crown last season after defeating Columbus Crew SC, 1-0, in the tournament’s championship match. Though Heaps would certainly relish a repeat performance, he will likely focus on assessing his unsigned rookies—Napo Matsoso and Joshua Smith—and preseason trialists, including forward Tristan Bowen and midfielder Emmanuel Appiah.
The three-match span will also provide an opportunity for new center backs Antonio Mlinar Delamea and Benjamin Angoua to develop chemistry ahead of the club’s March 4 season opener against the Rapids.
You can catch the action streaming live on revolutionsoccer.net starting at 7 p.m. ET.
Match Details
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Venue: North Stadium at Kino Sports Complex, Tucson, Ariz.
Streaming: revolutionsoccer.net, YouTube