Revs' no-win situation ends with injuries
New England takes loss on field, in training room in U.S. Open Cup
A win would have put the Revs through to the next round but added yet another midweek game to an already crowded July calendar. A loss would leave the depleted Revs with egg on their face after losing to a USL Second Division team.
"Whatever way you go, you lose," New England head coach Steve Nicol said.
The loss in this case was incurred both on the field -- Harrisburg won 2-1 in extra time -- and in the training room. After arriving at Veterans Stadium with 15 healthy players, the Revs left with 13 after Kheli Dube (ankle) and Mike Videira (thigh) limped off during the second half.
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"We're already bare bones coming into the game," Revolution defender Chris Tierney said. "What did we have, 15 guys? We've had so many games. Guys are struggling with knocks and we just can't take risks. If someone pulls something, they have to come out. There's nothing we can do about it. We had to try to do our best and that was it."
Up until Dube left the field in the 63rd minute, the Revolution's best was more than good enough. Jeff Larentowicz put his side ahead seven minutes before the break with a low free kick to the far post. Harrisburg never really got on the ball and never really looked like doing much with it.
Things changed when Dube's injury reduced the Revs to 10. Soon afterwards, the City Islanders leveled when Mo Oduor headed home Jason Pelletier's free kick. Videira later limped off injured, leaving the Revs with nine tired players on the field.
"The goal they scored came from nowhere, really," Nicol said. "They never really threatened us much, but when you're playing with nine men, you're not going to get out."
They never did. Geoff Bloes corralled home the final blow when Revs keeper Brad Knighton struggled to cope with David Schofield's free kick as the first half of extra time wound to a close.
"It's frustrating," Revolution midfielder Pat Phelan said. "You never like to lose to a team that's in a lower division. But give them credit. They came here and they hung in there. They deserved to win in the end."
By ousting New England, Harrisburg earned a trip to Boyds, Md. to face D.C. United in the quarterfinals. Instead of progressing in the tournament, the Revs move on to a cross-country trip to Los Angeles perhaps comforted by the fact that they won't have to divert the trip home through the metropolitan D.C. area for a Tuesday quarterfinal date.
With a crowded schedule ahead and few signs of help on the horizon, Phelan said losing Dube and Videira to injury just added to the frustration of crashing out of the Open Cup.
"Everyone knows how many games we have to play," Phelan said. "We have the game in L.A., then we have the game against Chicago. We're only expecting one or two more guys by the time those games come around. It certainly doesn't help."
Kyle McCarthy is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
