Revs Romp in Mexico

By: Jeff | March 14th, 2007

No matter what happens in the CONCACAF Champions’ Cup over the next two days, whether the Houston Dynamo gets their heads handed to them tonight, or should DC United get their asses handed to them on Thursday, American soccer fans can say with a straight face that a Major League Soccer (MLS) beat a Mexican club this week.

They can say this, though the less they elaborate, the better. When asked, just say that the New England Revolution beat Inter Playa del Carmen 7-0. And, whatever you do, don’t mention that Inter plays in Mexico’s Segunda Division, which, in spite of the name, happens to be Mexico’s third division. At least that’s what some guy wrote in the Revs’ forum on BigSoccer; the same guy, who posts as Disco Dale, also noted that a “mate” who attended the game called and told him the Revs’ finishing was lethal.

Judging from the fact that Twellman knocked in four of the Revs’ seven goals, it’s likely they were referring to the Revs’ star man. Other things to note include two New England ejections: one for Jeff Larentowicz (hard foul, apparently followed quickly by dissent) and Joe Franchino (no one says; possibly for having a low center of gravity). You can read it all in the various match reports posted across the web: there’s the Revolution’s in-house, official report; New England Soccer News looks to have copied and edited the official piece for brevity; Soccer New England’s report contained sufficiently different phrasing that itset me to wondering whether they send their own people to follow the Revs…and, if so, how I can get that gig…in spite of not living in New England.

So, good stuff. Even if it came against weaker, possibly much weaker opposition. New-guy Adam Cristman scored one, as did Khano Smith and Willie Sims. In spite of my concerns (noted here, if only briefly), James Riley seemed to hold up all right in the middle - though the reports make it an open question as to whether he had much with which to deal. Still, it never hurts to beat a team you’re supposed to beat, especially when you blow them out of the water.

Another Segunda Division side, Pioneros de Cancun, is up next. And that raises only one question: are the Revs testing themselves hard enough ahead of the season?