After a disappointing performance at Montreal on Wednesday, the New England Revolution got a battling 0-0 draw at Sporting Kansas City on Saturday night.
Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis made six saves to record his fourth clean sheet of the season and help the Revs (6-9-5, 23 pts.) snap a brief two-game losing skid, while Sporting KC (11-6-4, 37 pts.) goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen made three stops for the hosts.
Both Shalrie Joseph and Stephen McCarthy returned to the starting lineup after missing New England’s midweek loss to the Montreal Impact, prompting a series of shifts in the Revolution’s formation. Darrius Barnes started at left back, Chris Tierney started at left midfield and Ryan Guy started at forward.
Guy had the game’s first quality chance in the fifth minute, forcing Nielsen into an awkward save with a knuckling drive after Benny Feilhaber had played him through. Nielsen denied Guy again in the 15th minute – despite the Revolution’s claims that the ball had crossed the goal-line – sprawling to his right to parry Guy’s acrobatic diving header.
Those two chances proved to be the Revolution’s only two shots on goal in a relatively quiet first half, which also saw Sporting KC direct just one shot on target.
It didn’t take long for Kansas City to put a shot on frame in the second half, however, as Reis was called into action in the 52nd minute. Michael Harrington’s cross from the right channel found Jacob Peterson streaking through the box for a glancing header, but Reis dove full stretch to his right to make a fantastic save.
Reis was massive again early in stoppage time as he was perfectly positioned to stop Kei Kamara’s header from the center of the box, while the Revs had a late chance of their own go begging when Guy picked up a loose ball only to see his shot blocked by a lunging defender.
The Revs will play their third straight road game next weekend when they travel to PPL Park to battle the Philadelphia Union on Sunday, July 29.
