Fri Jun 27 12:46:36 2008

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Revs aim to start new unbeaten streak, starting with TFC

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Foxborough, MA (Sports Network) - The New England Revolution will be gunning for a win on Saturday night at Gillette Stadium when they host Toronto FC after having their seven-game unbeaten run snapped a week ago at Real Salt Lake.

The game vs. Toronto caps off a busy month for the Revs, who, after winning six of eight, are winless in their past two - both last week. Before the RSL loss, New England played to a 1-1 draw vs. the New York Red Bulls in a midweek fixture, which may have contributed to a poor showing in Utah.

"You just have to win the battles and win the second balls and hopefully you get a bounce here and there. You know it was tough playing Wednesday night and then traveling 12 hours to get [to Utah]," Revs coach Steve Nicol said. "That's not easy to do, particularly when you have the altitude and it's a lot warmer than we are used to."

"I don't know if it was the tough game on Wednesday or the travel, but we have to give them credit," Revs captain Steve Ralston said after the RSL loss. "They made it difficult to play. The field doesn't really allow for a whole lot of good passing, and we were second to everything, but we got outplayed. There are no excuses there."

Toronto is coming off a scoreless draw with Kansas City in its last league fixture.

"I have to be honest, I'm grateful for a point," TFC coach John Carver said. "I'm grateful for a point because that might be the difference between getting into that playoff spot, and just missing out. It's games like that when you have to dig out a result. We've dug out a result here because 15 minutes from the end I thought there was only going to be one team that wins it and it wasn't going to be us."

The Wizards outshot Toronto 11-7 overall, with a slim 5-4 advantage in shots on goal in the game, but quality of play was actually far more lopsided than that.

"Obviously [Kansas City] came with a plan to try and dominate the midfield in the central areas," Toronto's Carl Robinson said. "We had to try and get the ball out of the middle quickly to our wide men, but then when we lost possession we knew we'd be outnumbered in the middle of the park. It was a difficult situation. We're disappointed with our performance but it's a bonus because we got one point."

If Toronto is going to get a point on Saturday, it will not only have to improve on its performance from a week ago, but on its abysmal 1-4-0 road record so far this season. Also, Toronto will have to improve on its performances against the Revs from a year ago when they were outscored by a combined 7-0 in two losses.

"Last year they thumped us, but this year will be a lot different," TFC's Jim Brennan said. "They're a very good side. They're a club that's always there at the end and always up at the top of the table. It's a tough place to go and get a result, but we'll get things right this week, work hard and go in there and look to get something."