New England Revolution
2008 season
OwnerRobert Kraft
Head coachSteve Nicol
MLSConference: 3rd
Overall: 5th
MLS Cup PlayoffsConference Semifinals
U.S. Open CupSemifinals
SuperligaChampions
Champions LeaguePreliminary round
Top goalscorerLeague: Ralston (8)
All: Ralston (9)
Average home league attendance17,580 (regular season)[1]
5,221 (playoffs)

The 2008 New England Revolution season was the thirteenth season of the team's existence. The regular season began on March 29, 2008 with a 3-0 win over the Houston Dynamo and ended on November 6 with a 3-0 playoff loss to the Chicago Fire.

Background

After losing a third straight MLS Cup final in 2007, the Revs began the 2008 season with high hopes. For the first time in team history, New England participated in four different competitions during the regular season. Their 2007 U.S. Open Cup had qualified them for the preliminary round of the inaugural CONCACAF Champions League, and their top-four finish qualified them for the 2008 North American SuperLiga. The Revs also played matches in the 2008 Open Cup and the 2008 regular season.

Review

The club started the season well, reaching their July league-fixture recess at the top of the overall MLS table. This early-season success continued in the 2008 SuperLiga, which the club won on August 5, 2008 by beating their 2-time MLS Cup rival the Houston Dynamo on penalties.[2] Injuries, fatigue, and fixture congestion eventually caught up with the Revs, however, and the team performed poorly after returning to MLS league play. In an effort to spell his regular starters, coach Steve Nicol started mostly reserves in an Open Cup semifinal against D.C. United. The Revs lost the match, and Nicol was widely criticized for the decision. The Revolution also crashed out of the CONCACAF Champions League, losing to regional minnows Joe Public FC of Trinidad and Tobago 6-1 on aggregate, including an embarrassing 4-0 defeat at Gillette Stadium.

Mostly on the strength of their hot start, the Revolution managed to make the playoffs. They were unable to advance, however, as they drew 0-0 at home and lost 3-0 away to the Chicago Fire.[3]

Match results

  Win   Tie   Loss

Friendlies

On March 6th, the Revolution played a match against CF Atlante in Playa del Carmen.[4]

MLS regular season

March 29, 2008 New England Revolution 3–0 Houston Dynamo Foxborough, Massachusetts, United States
7:30 PM EDT Ralston 15'
Cristman 32'
Nyassi 92+'		 (report) Mulrooney Yellow card 58' Stadium: Gillette Stadium
Attendance: 11,116
Referee: Michael Kennedy
April 3, 2008 Chicago Fire 4–0 New England Revolution Chicago, Illinois, United States
7:00 PM CDT Barrett 4' Yellow card 50'
Mapp Yellow card 17'
Frankowski 22' 39'
Blanco 37'
Gutierrez Yellow card 89'		 (report) Larentowicz Red card 7'
Joseph Yellow card 7'		 Stadium: Toyota Park
Attendance: 15,553
Referee: Baldomero Toledo
April 09, 2008 Kansas City Wizards 1–3 New England Revolution Kansas City, Missouri United States
7:00 PM CDT (report) Stadium: CommunityAmerica Ballpark
Attendance: 8,096
Referee: Terry Vaughn

Open Cup

July 1, 2008 Third round New England Revolution 3–0 Richmond Kickers New Britain, Connecticut, United States
7:00 PM EDT Brill 46'
Germanese 63'
Twellman 67'		 (report) Stadium: Veteran's Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 3,950
Referee: Tony Russo
July 8, 2008 Quarterfinals New England Revolution 1–1
(5-3 p)		 Crystal Palace Baltimore New Britain, Connecticut, United States
7:00 PM EDT Mansally 6'
Igwe Yellow card 33'
Hilgenbrinck Yellow card 59'		 (report) Lader 20'
Teixeira Yellow card 78'
Harkin Yellow card 109'
Flores Red card 119'		 Stadium: Veteran's Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 2,590
Referee: Hilario Grajeda
Penalties
Hilgenbrinck soccer ball with check mark
Dube soccer ball with check mark
Tierney soccer ball with check mark
Igwe soccer ball with check mark
Castro soccer ball with check mark		 soccer ball with check mark Harada
soccer ball with check mark Harkin
soccer ball with check mark Mbuta
soccer ball with red X Teixeira
August 12, 2008 Semifinals D.C. United 3–1 New England Revolution Washington, D.C., United States
7:30 PM EDT Emilio 4' 81'
Quaranta 48'
McTavish Yellow card 50'		 (report) Germanese 34'
Igwe Yellow card 38'
Thompson 		Stadium: RFK Stadium
Attendance: 6,797
Referee: Jorge Gonzalez

SuperLiga

July 14, 2008 Group B New England Revolution United States 1 - 0 Mexico Santos Laguna Foxborough, Massachusetts, United States
8:00 PM EDT Dube 70' (report) Rodriguez Red card 40' Stadium: Gillette Stadium
Attendance: 10,118
Referee: Enrico Wijngaarde
July 16, 2008 Group B New England Revolution United States 1 - 0 Mexico Pachuca Foxborough, Massachusetts, United States
8:00 PM EDT Smith 96+' (pen.) (report) Stadium: Gillette Stadium
Attendance: 9,614
Referee: Walter Quesada
July 20, 2008 Group B Chivas USA United States 1 - 1 United States New England Revolution Fullerton, California, United States
5:00 PM PDT Razov 59' (report) Joseph 78' Stadium: Titan Stadium
Attendance: 4,738
Referee: Abiodun Okulaja
July 30, 2008 Semifinal New England Revolution United States 1–0 Mexico Puebla Foxborough, Massachusetts, United States
8:00 PM EDT Joseph 30'
Heaps Red card 90+'		 (report) Rey Red card 85'
Zamora Yellow card 90+' Red card
Vilar Yellow card 90+' Red card
Muñoz Red card 90+'
Venegas Red card 90+'		 Stadium: Gillette Stadium
Attendance: 8,302
Referee: Carlos Batres

Champions League

August 26, 2008 Preliminary round Joe Public Trinidad and Tobago 2–1 United States New England Revolution Macoya, Trinidad and Tobago
9:00 EDT Richardson 50'
Gay 70'		 Castro 76' (pen.) Stadium: Marvin Lee Stadium
Attendance: 2,100
Referee: Courtney Campbell
September 2, 2008 Preliminary round New England Revolution United States 0–4 Trinidad and Tobago Joe Public Foxborough, Massachusetts, United States
8:00 EDT Richardson 17' 45' 81'
Nelson 48'		 Stadium: Gillette Stadium
Attendance: 4,000
Referee: Steven Depiero

Playoffs

October 30, 2008 Conference Semifinals New England Revolution 0–0 Chicago Fire Foxborough, Massachusetts, United States
8:00 PM EDT Report Stadium: Gillette Stadium
Attendance: 5,221
Referee: Alex Prus
November 6, 2008 Conference Semifinals Chicago Fire 3–0 New England Revolution Bridgeview, Illinois, United States
7:45 PM CDT Thorrington Yellow card 36'
Rolfe 47+'
Conde 49'
Busch Yellow card 62'
Segares 74'		 (report) Albright
Igwe Yellow card 47'
Joseph Yellow card 53'		 Stadium: Toyota Park
Attendance: 17,312
Referee: Jair Marrufo

Standings

Conference

Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Columbus Crew 30 17 7 6 50 36 +14 57 MLS Cup Playoffs
2 Chicago Fire 30 13 10 7 44 33 +11 46
3 New England Revolution 30 12 11 7 40 43 −3 43
4 Kansas City Wizards 30 11 10 9 37 39 −2 42
5 New York Red Bulls 30 10 11 9 42 48 −6 39
6 D.C. United 30 11 15 4 43 51 −8 37
7 Toronto FC 30 9 13 8 34 43 −9 35
Source: MLS

Overall

Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Columbus Crew (C, S) 30 17 7 6 50 36 +14 57 CONCACAF Champions League
2 Houston Dynamo 30 13 5 12 45 32 +13 51
3 Chicago Fire 30 13 10 7 44 33 +11 46 North American SuperLiga
4 Chivas USA 30 12 11 7 40 41 −1 43
5 New England Revolution 30 12 11 7 40 43 −3 43
6 Kansas City Wizards 30 11 10 9 37 39 −2 42
7 Real Salt Lake 30 10 10 10 40 39 +1 40
8 New York Red Bulls 30 10 11 9 42 48 −6 39 CONCACAF Champions League
9 Colorado Rapids 30 11 14 5 44 45 −1 38
10 D.C. United 30 11 15 4 43 51 −8 37 CONCACAF Champions League
11 FC Dallas 30 8 10 12 45 41 +4 36
12 Toronto FC 30 9 13 8 34 43 −9 35 CONCACAF Champions League[lower-alpha 1]
13 LA Galaxy 30 8 13 9 55 62 −7 33
14 San Jose Earthquakes 30 8 13 9 32 38 −6 33
Source: MLS
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head record; 3) goal difference; 4) number of goals scored
(C) Champions; (S) Supporters' Shield
Notes:

Notes

  1. ↑ "2008 Full Season Stats". Major League Soccer. Retrieved September 5, 2010. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. ↑ McCarthy, Kyle (August 6, 2008). "Revs Capture SuperLiga 2008 Crown". Archived from the original on November 29, 2010. Retrieved September 5, 2010.
  3. ↑ "Fire 3, Revolution 0". New England Revolution. November 6, 2008. Retrieved September 5, 2010.
  4. ↑ "New England Beats Atlante 1-0 in Superliga". Journal Tribune. Foxborough. July 31, 2008. p. 16. Archived from the original on January 7, 2024.

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