subject: New England Revolution Playoff Tickets - New England 1, Columbus 0 [print this page] Jeff Larentowicz scored in the 79th minute to secure a playoff spot for the New England Revolution with a 1-0 triumph over the Columbus Crew. Get New England Revolution playoff tickets and see Larentowicz score the game winner. The victory in the final game of the MLS regular season gave New England (11-10-9) 42 points and a chance to compete for the MLS Cup.
Larentowicz's first goal of the season came on a free penalty kick from 20 yards. The midfielder was able to hook his shot around the Crew defensive wall and past goalkeeper Kenny Schoeni. Revolution coach Steve Nicol told the press it was a "fantastic free kick." The coach has earned a trip to the postseason for the eighth consecutive season. Nicol admitted that it was not going to be easy to defeat the Crew in their stadium in the last game of the season.
New England will face the Chicago Fire, against whom it tied two matches in the regular season. The Crew (13-7-10) already had secured home-field advantage throughout the postseason and earned the 2009 Supporters' Shield (given to the team with the beast regular-season record). Columbus joined D.C. United as the only team to win the Supporters' Shield in consecutive seasons. Crew captain Frankie Hejduk accepted the Supporters' Shield in a ceremony after the game. Columbus lost two straight home games, something that rarely occurred since they set a league record 24-game unbeaten streak at Crew Stadium. Four of the Crew's seven losses this season have come in their last eight games. Columbus coach Robert Warzycha stated that his club's recent losses did not have him concerned entering the playoffs.
The coach continued to say that his team did not play badly in those games. He said, "Sometimes it's just tough to score a goal, especially at the end of the season when teams feel they have to play harder." The Crew, which registered only one goal in its last four games, will take on Real Salt Lake in the first round of the playoffs. The teams played each other twice this year, each winning a match at home. New England could have had two goals in the game, but Schoeni was sharp in net. His best save of the night came in the seventh minute, when he prevented his own teammate from scoring on him.
Columbus midfielder Emmanuel Ekpo tried to clear a Revolution pass, but he sent the ball toward the Crew goal from close range. Schoeni reacted quickly by diving to his left to keep the ball out of the net. Schoeni replaced starter William Hesmer minutes before the kickoff, as he had been battling the flu for over a week. Hesmer said he knows what the next four games are all about. The goalkeeper was in net for the Crew during its MLS Cup-winning run last season. Larentowicz challenged Schoeni in the 28th minute of the match with a laser shot from 22 yards out, but the goalkeeper was able to catch the hard shot right in the midsection. Which team will survive the postseason and advance to the MLS Cup?
