Tonight, on ESPN2, the US Open Cup champion will be decided. Will it be the best team in the West, FC Dallas? Or, will the Revolution be another New England team bringing a trophy back to Boston?
When they face off tonight, the Revs and FC Dallas will be coming off very different results from the weekend. The New England Revolution defeated star-studded NYCFC 3-1 at home, goals coming from Lee Ngyuen, Diego Fagundez, and Juan Agudelo. Kei Kamara sat out the match due to a hip injury, and possibly to allow him additional rest for the US Open Cup final tonight.
FC Dallas was shutout by Tim Howard, dropping a 1-0 result to Colorado. The club has had mixed results since the departure of the explosive Fabian Castillo to Turkey.
It was Castillo who netted the go ahead goal for FC Dallas when these two teams met this May. Tesho Akindele added a 90′ strike to close the tally at 4-2, three unanswered goals for the Texas club.
Without Castillo, the side has relied on Michael Barrios, Mauro Diaz, and USMNT man Kellyn Acosta to keep the team up top in the Western Conference.
New England has been effective on offense, whether it’s been Kei Kamara, or Juan Agudelo leading the charge. Lee Ngyuen and Diego Fagundez are still the players that bring the action, weaving in and out of the defense, looking for a teammate or a clean angle on goal.
It’s not on offense where New England has had trouble in 2016. They have allowed the third most goals in Major League Soccer, and hold its worst goal differential at -14. Still, they find themselves right on the edge of the Eastern Conference playoff hunt, and one match away from a US Open Cup trophy.
The last time they hoisted the Lamar Hunt trophy, it was this very same matchup, back in 2007. Led by Taylor Twellman, and now head coach Jay Heaps, the Revolution snatched the title with a 3-2 victory, also in Frisco. Neither team has won a meaningful trophy since.
FC Dallas enters as the favorite. They are the more consistent, well-rounded side. They will need to control the midfield, and allow Mauro Diaz to do what he does, creating chances and making plays. New England will need a gutsy performance from their much maligned defense, and some timely attacking from Kamara, Agudelo, Ngyuen, and Fagundez. Either way, it will be exciting matchup of two teams with exciting midfield players, and a lengthy time frame without a big time trophy. That will create for some must see soccer.
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