Shorthanded Crew fall to playoff-bound Revs

Columbus will meet Real Salt Lake in Conference Semifinals

Larentowicz's free kick from 22 yards in the 79th minute was the difference as the New England Revolution beat slumping Columbus 1-0 at Crew Stadium to claim the last playoff spot in the final game of the regular season.

The Revolution (10-10-10) needed a win or tie to qualify and end Colorado's postseason bid. It got the needed cushion on a powerful strike by Larentowicz that went over the wall, straight down the middle of the goal, to end a 320-minute scoreless streak, including a 1-0 defeat at home to the Crew on Oct. 10.

New England earned the third seed in the Eastern Conference and will start a two-leg series at home against Chicago. The Crew (13-7-10) have lost three of four, all by shutout, and has been blanked in consecutive home games following an MLS record 24-game home unbeaten streak including playoffs.

They will face Real Salt Lake in their conference semifinal series with the first match in Utah.

The Revolution could only watch the results Saturday night to learn their match indeed did mean something. Meanwhile, the Crew basked in the glow of clinching the Supporters' Shield as the overall points leader for the second consecutive season when Chicago defeated Chivas USA on Thursday.

Crew coach Robert Warzycha went to the bench in the most visible way from the onset when he gave goalkeeper Kenny Schoeni his first MLS start in place of William Hesmer, who played 19 matches and would have had more if not for being sidelined by injury early in the season.

His backup, Andy Gruenebaum, appeared in 10 games but underwent hip season-ending hip surgery in September. Schoeni was brought back from Miami FC of the USL-1 where he had a 1-4-2 record and a 1.57 goals against average. He was on the Crew's developmental roster in 2008.

The Crew was also without defender Chad Marshall (left knee sprain) and forward Emilio Renteria, the hero in Tuesday's CONCACAF Champions League 1-1 tie at Puerto Rico. His goal gave the Crew the point they needed to advance to the quarterfinals. Renteria was suspended because of a red card against D.C. United.

Another absentee was Danny O'Rourke, who has several nagging injuries and did not play against Puerto Rico either. Center back Eric Brunner was given the night of as well.

Schoeni was tested in the seventh minute on New England's first corner kick. Edgaras Jankauskas got open near the right post inside the 6-yard box and slotted a low drive that Schoeni dove to his left to secure before it reached the goalline.

Larentowicz had the next offering on the 28th minute but Schoeni had a clear view of the 20-yard strike and took the shot in the midsection with little effort. The Revolution cracked the backline three minutes later but Crew defender Gino Padula forced Sainey Nyassi to the right corner of the penalty area for a low percentage attempt.

Columbus' best chances to that point were a pair of free kicks by Guillermo Barros Schelotto that found Andy Iro, but each header went well over the goal.

New England missed a glorious chance to score on the inexperienced Schoeni in the 38th. He charged to the limit of the box to grab a high bouncer but could not corral it as it fell to Shalrie Joseph. With an open goal calling 20 yards away, Joseph didn't have time to settle the ball and powered it well over the crossbar.

The Crew finally showed some offensive verve two minutes before the break as Gino Padula's long service from the left flank found Schelotto at the right post. His snap header was stopped by a diving Matt Reis.

There were few opportunities for the Crew in the second half.

In a similar situation last year, D.C. United came to Crew Stadium needing a point in the finale to claim the final playoff spot. The Crew won 1-0 to the benefit of New York, who took the fourth seed in the West and advanced to the MLS Cup before losing to the Crew.

Craig Merz is a contributor to MLSnet.com

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