The New England Revolution announced the signing of forwards Ilija Stolica(left) and Robert Linck(right) Friday.

“Our goal during this transfer window has been to bring in attacking players,” Revolution Vice President of Player Personnel Michael Burns said. “With Ilija, we’re getting a proven, veteran player who we’re expecting to come in and make contributions right away. Roberto is a younger player who we’re optimistic can help us during the second half of the season, as well.”

Stolica, 31, joins the Revolution from Montegero’s FC Budocnost. Stolica previous played in Belgium with Sint Turidense(2005-2008) and R.A.E.C. Mons, before joining OFI Crete for the second half of 2008-2009.

Linck, 21, comes to New England from Romanian club CSM Ramnica Valceam where he played during the 2010 season. Known as “Betu”, Linck played collegiately at Irvine Valley College in California after coming through the Gremio(Brazil) youth system.

Steve Ralston shakes hands of supporters after announcing his retirement from professional soccer.

The match was supposed to be a fitting send off for one of the greatest Revs players of all-time, Steve Ralston.  Fans and media were notified on Monday that it would be Ralston’s last match before retiring. This came as a bit of a surprise for fans who had been waiting for him to recover from the dislocated elbow he suffered in a friendly versus Cruzeiro on June 13th after only two minutes on the pitch.  The next logical step was to show up on Wednesday night and send off the MLS’ original rookie of the year in 1996, all-time minutes played and all-time leader in assists.

This, however, was not to be.

Due to unforeseen, and still unexplained, “administrative” circumstances Ralston was relegated to a sheepish wave to the crowd.  Hardly the send-off that such a classy professional deserved.  The debate is still hot and the explanations are still few and far between in regards to exactly where the blame falls in this debacle.

With all of this distraction a match that really did not have too much riding on it was always going to fall to the wayside.

In addition to Steve Ralston, the Revs were also without two of their more influential players in Shalrie Joseph and Sainey Nyassi who were both withheld due to yellow card suspension concerns.  Kevin Alston was also held out of the match due to a slightly tweaked hamstring.

The team they did run out there was a bit undermanned but they worked hard and stifled a Morelia attack that even included Mexican national teamer Miguel Sabah for about 25 minutes. The hard work paid off for the Revs in the 62nd minute when Kheli Dube challenged a ball at the top of the box and occupied three defenders, one of which managed a very poor clear into the path of Marko Perovic. The red hot Perovic hit the half-volley into the back of the net for his third goal in four games.

Again, the one goal was enough for the Revs who have not given up a goal in four matches. Since the return of Darius Barnes the whole back line has been more settled. His partnership with Emmanuel Osei is one of the most athletic in the MLS and it has been paying dividends for the Revs who’s attack is still a work in progress.

The Revs don’t take the field again until July 31st when they take on the Philaelphia Union in MLS action. Although the break does not appear to come to the Revs at an ideal time, when they are playing well, they will have a few players in action on July 28th.  Shalrie Joseph and Kevin Alston were both voted to the MLS All-Star Squad that will take on Manchester United at 8:30 PM.

Marko Perovic's 76th minute strike was enough to secure the three points for New England when they faced Chicago Fire in SuperLiga play Saturday.

Marko Perovic’s 76th minute goal, his second in three matches, was all that the Revs required thanks to a stellar defensive showing on their part and a completely toothless performance from the hosts.  Darius Barnes, Matt Reis, and the rest of the defensive unit were almost perfect in putting out any Fire (pun intended, sorry) around the box. Even when Chicago was given a glimpse they proved completely incapable of capitalizing.

Influenced by a first 45 that saw nothing but half-chances, both managers had some big decisions to make in the locker room.  Steve Nicol and the Revs decided to stand pat and go with the same eleven.  The Fire went the opposite route by bringing on three of their four SuperLiga-allowed substitutions (who knew? And better yet, why!?) These decisions proved vital to the outcome of the match.

The Fire’s changes did nothing to spark the squad and instead left them unsettled and unable to create any meaningful chances.  The Revs were able to fall into a defensive groove and avoided any major mistakes. This discipline ended up earning them the only goal of the match as well. Some great high field pressure from Kheli Dube forced a loose ball in the direction of Perovic who maneuvered the ball to his stronger left foot before blasting a shot past rookie keeper Sean Johnson from 25 yards out.

The Fire didn’t show much of a fight after the deciding goal and appeared more eager to put SuperLiga 2010 behind them and move on to the Nery Castillo era which was made official immediately after the match.  Castillo became the Fire’s most recent Mexican Designated Player and the signing will go some way to taking the sting out of Chicago’s crash from the tournament.  There certainly are still some concerns over Castillo’s recent goal-scoring record especially combined with his new squad’s crisis of confidence in front of net.

Confidence is quickly become a strength of the Revs as they continue a great mini-run of form.  The 2010 Revs had been left for dead long ago but if they continue to get results in the weak Eastern Conference they could have something to say come playoff time.

Revs diehards won’t want to hear this until they start to win in the league but they can take pride in the recent form of Sainey Nyassi who has looked exceedingly dangerous down the right flank. Nyassi has also shown a very strong work ethic for such a young player. It’s hard to imagine that he is only 21 years old.

Another performance of note was that of Chris Tierney. The versatile left-sided player switched to left back after starting previously at left wing and impressed.  He tracked back well while also providing dangerous service.  Tierney has been the Revs most consistent performer this season and this match will be another to add to his surprisingly stellar body of work.

The New England Revolution, without much to play for, will spin their wheels against Mexican side Monarcas Morelia, who may need a result at 8 PM on Tuesday, July 20th to close out the SuperLiga group stage.

Zach Schilawski's 18th minute strike earned New England three points during its Superliga opener against Pumas.

The New England Revolution certainly seem to love it. They extended their great run of form in the SUM-organized tournament  with a 1-0 victory over Mexican side Pumas UNAM on Wednesday night at Gillette Stadium.

In a match that rivaled excitement often reserved for a dentist’s beige wall-papered waiting room, Zach Schilawski’s 18th minute goal was enough for the well-organized Revolution to hold on for their second win in five days.  The Revs, the only American side to take home the SuperLiga bottle-opener-type trophy, are now 7-1-2 all-time in SuperLiga play.  Schilawski’s goal was well taken after he slipped free at the back post and acrobatically finished a perfect Marko Perovic corner kick. There was little else in terms of scoring chances in the match, with Pumas coming closest on a deflected shot by Israel Castro that struck the under side of the cross bar.  The Revs’ next closest attempts on goal came from Sainey Nyassi who on two occaisions played the ball into seats rarely considered during the Revs game.  Only the most generous of stat-keeper would declare these speculative efforts a chance but in the hopes of sharing the true spirit of the night and to show that I was actually at the match, I have shared these moments with you here.

If you’re reading World Soccer Reader you most likely know, a quick, unscientific twitter survey of the general soccer-watching public will show that the SuperLiga receives a rather cool reception on the American landscape.  A look at Gillette Stadium’s stands on Wednesday night did little to dispute this negative opinion.  The reported (and probably inflated) crowd of 7,000 took in a match that highlighted all that is great and all that is so very wrong with this tournament.

First the bad.  A regular criticism of the tournament is that the Mexican clubs, who are just now entering preseason, are at different stage in preparation than the MLS teams, who have reached the midway point of their season.  Pumas was clearly out of form and their slow start to the match was enough to allow the less-than-stellar Revs a lifeline into the match. Beyond the lone goal the Revs struggled to create any significant chances and Pumas carried the match.

Fortunately, there is some good to the SuperLiga.  Up until the Revs’ most recent win over the LA Galaxy on July 10th, the Revs season has been plagued by injury and uninspired play. The tournament gives a struggling and mostly fed-up fan base a chance to compete for something at a crucial point in the season. The fans can also appreciate the clash of styles that arises when an MLS team takes on a Primera Division side.  The physical, emotional Mexican play seemed to be enough to wake Shalrie Joseph up and turn in one of his most inspiring performances this season.  Joseph won balls and set up his teammates in a manner reminiscent of the Shalrie of the past three seasons.

With the way the season has gone thus far, SuperLiga or not, the Revs and their fans will take the positive result.

The Revs take the field again on Saturday, July 17th to play the Fire in Chicago at 7:00 PM ET and then wrap up SuperLiga group play back in Foxboro against Monarcas Morellia at 8:00 PM on July 20th, 2010.

The 35 year old midfielder spent eight seasons with New England before signing with hometown USSF Division 2 side AC St. Louis as a player/assistant coach. A.C. St Louis have had severe financial issues recently, leading to the folding of their WPS side St Louis Athletica, and Ralston’s departure was aimed at freeing up some money for the cash strapped club.

“We’re very pleased that Steve has decided to return to MLS and to New England,” Revolution Vice President of Player Personnel Michael Burns said. “Steve has always been a consummate professional and we expect his leadership will benefit us both on and off the field. The bottom line is that we believe that Steve Ralston makes the Revolution a better club and we’re looking forward to his return.”

Revolution fans, happy to see him back at the club?

Burpo was rushed to Mass General hospital, where it was confirmed he had broken both his right tibia and fibula. The injury will likely keep the 37 year old goalkeeper sidelined for the majority of the remaining season, and could be career threatening.

Burpo had been a regular starter this season after first choice goalkeeper Matt Reis was placed on the disabled list earlier this year. Reis was removed from the disabled list earlier Saturday after becoming eligible.

Revolution third choice goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth came on after Burpo was stretched off and finished the match in goal.

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For Ivan Gvozdenovic, Jean-Baptiste Fritzon, and Jason Griffiths, the match against the Portuguese double winners was a chance to earn a spot on what has become a very thin New England Revolution roster.

A crowd of 12,735 was on hand at Gillette Stadium to see New England and it’s trialist suffer its’ worst loss of the campaign, falling 4-0.

Goals from Felipe Menezes and Sidnei three minutes apart before the game hit the twenty minute mark showed the fans who had shown up to play. Benfica would hit for one more before halftime with a Cesar Peixoto goal, and finished the game off with another one in the second half from Alan Kardec.

“Our mistakes affected us,” Cory Gibbs said. “These are games when you need to step up against big teams and we didn’t.”

Steve Nicol took the game less seriously, understanding the necessity of getting his team valuable experience and finding new players.

All three trialists saw time in the game, as the 2010 third round pick Griffiths came on in the second half. (WSR’s exclusive rookie interview with Griffiths can be found here

Gvozdenovic, The former Red Star Belgrade player and teammate of current Revolution player Marko Perovic showed some strong signs of good ball movement in central midfield alongside Chris Tierney. While it was the Haitian National Team forward Fritzon who put the only shot on goal and earned a yellow card for New England before being substituted in the 71st minute for Kheli Dube.

It was a lackluster performance all around for New England, having been outmatched and outplayed by a bigger and stronger team against an unexperienced lineup.

The three player’s trials will continue into next week before the Revolution and Steve Nicol make any decisions.

“We want to thank Mauricio for his time with us, and wish him the best in his future endeavors,” Michael Burns, Revolution VP of player personnel said.

What do you think of the move?

So, we got the response that we wanted after the hammering by San Jose, but in fairness it was not a full-blooded competition last night with full teams.  Saturday will be a different story as Seattle comes to visit Red Bull Arena.  We beat them at their place a month and a half ago now (the season is really flying by) with a goal from Mac Kandji.  The Sounders have struggled so far in their second season, and although they were rated by some as possible MLS Cup finalists in pre-season, they find themselves bottom of the West.  They’ve only taken two points from a possible twelve and were well beaten by an excellent LA team at home this past Saturday (after which the Sounders management offered the fans their money back, such was the lackluster nature of their performance – as Who Shot Sam from The Viper’s Nest said, what about all the RBNY season ticket holders who had to suffer through last season?).

I had a look at the Sounders’ tactics before the away game, but they’ve switched things up in the last few weeks, going from 4-4-2 (which was more of a 4-4-1-1 with Ljungberg in a free role) to a 4-3-3.  The 4-3-3 is supposed to give a man advantage in midfield, but LA barely seemed to notice and it looked more like Seattle were outnumbered in the centre.  Seattle seemed to have a lot of positional problems in midfield, which were highlighted by the first goal the conceded, a nearly unobstructed run through the centre and a good shot which Kasey Keller let slip through his gloves.  In addition, their wide players were very high up the pitch, leaving the fullbacks exposed and pulling one of the centrebacks over in support.  This also left Seattle very vulnerable to quick crossfield balls, so one of the keys for the Red Bulls is going to be exploiting the space ahead of the Sounders’ fullbacks and behind their forward wide men.  Of course, where there is space left, there are more players elsewhere, and our two-man midfield is going to have to work hard against the three of Seattle.  Their centrebacks were particularly awful, and the Red Bulls also have to look for advantages off of set pieces – LA scored two of their four goals at Qwest Field in that manner.

Before I wrap things up for today, there has been some more transfer speculation; Ángel has been linked with Veracruz (which was quickly denied).  That story doesn’t make a lot of sense to me, as Juan Pablo has had a fair season so far and going to the Mexican second division would be a pretty clear step down.  Zé Roberto has popped up again as a DP target, and I think this is a pretty credible story, both because of the source (Rafa Honigstein, if you don’t know him, is a top German football man) and because we need someone to be a more creative force in midfield.  The wage suggestions are extravagant, but it would certainly be a sign of intent on the part of Red Bull to commit that much to one player.  We’ve also taken a Brazilian centreback, Clebão, on trial – he’ll probably get a game against Juve, and if he does well we could certainly use the extra depth in defence as Boyens has been called up by the All Whites for the World Cup.  One last note, for everyone headed out to RBA on Saturday, please support the team’s efforts to raise money for our former midfielder Joe Vide, who has been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.  That’ll do it for me today, let’s go Red Bulls this weekend, and I’ll be back on Monday.

The Crew defeated the New England Revolution 3-2 in front of just over 10,000 fans. Rogers buried the rebound after Revolution defender Darrius Barnes saved the initial chance off the line after Jason Garey sent the ball goal bound.

The Crew pounded New England’s net in the second half before being rewarded in the last minute of the match.

The first half saw four goals hit the back of the net.

With New England rookie sensation Zak Boggs tallying the game’s first. In the 29th minute, Hesmer let Bogg’s dipping shot slip beneath him.

Boggs did everything in his power to earn his team a vital road point, but his second goal of the night was not enough. Later in the 40th minute, Boggs was the beneficiary of great build up play by the Revolution and finished from 15 yards out. As the Revolution refused to go down without a fight.

Eddie Gaven opened the scoring for Columbus with a def first touch with the outside of his foot to set up a blast with his left footed into the far post side netting in the 31st minute.

Rogers then played a threatening cross that flashed across the six yard box before Revolution defended Cory Gibbs misplayed the ball and deflected into his own net in the 35th minute.

The second half was less wide open as the first stanza. The Crew applied most of the pressure in the closing half. The most active performer of the half was New England goalkeeper Preston Burpo.

Burpo stoned Eddie Gaven on back to back shots in the 62nd minute, when he looked like he was sure to break the knotted score. Burpo then smothered a golden chance from Steven Lenhart on a breakaway.

The highly competitive contest escalated in the last minutes, off a corner kick, Gaven shielded Burpo before back heeling a shot that came inches close hitting the crossbar.

That series of events set the tone for Roger’s game winner.

The Crew (3-0-2) remain undefeated in the 2010 campaign with the win and a perfect 3-0-0 record in Columbus.

Columbus’s next match will be in the friendly confides of Crew Stadium against Chivas USA Saturday, May 15.

Highlights: