Last-gasp Revolution
New England clinched a playoff berth with a 1-0 victory yesterday over the Columbus Crew, the defending MLS Cup champions, at Crew Stadium. Midfielder Jeff Larentowicz’s first goal of the season, off a free kick in the 79th minute, punched the ticket.
The Revolution will face the Chicago Fire in a two-game, home-and-home series that begins Saturday at 4 p.m. at Gillette Stadium. The second game is Nov. 7 in Chicago at 8:30 p.m. It marks the fifth straight season that New England has met Chicago in the MLS postseason.
“To come here on the last day of the season needing points, it was never going to be easy,’’ Revolution coach Steve Nichol said. “If we had played well, that would have been better. But who cares? We needed to win, and we won.’’
Saturday night, four games affected the Revolution’s playoff chances. The results were good – for the Revolution, anyway. They awoke yesterday knowing that a win or tie would get them to the playoffs for the eighth season in a row.