 February 23, 2010 -- The New England Revolution lost their first preseason game 2-0 to FC Dallas as ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida. Atiba Harris, assisted by Brek Shea, struck first in the 13 minute and Marvin Chavez scored unassisted in 73rd minute.
While FC Dallas has already played a handful of games this preseason, this was the Revolution’s first proper match of the club’s 2010 training camp. As expected, the Revs used the match as a barometer on their fitness level and to get a look at a variety of different players, as head coach Steve Nicol made six second-half substitutions and used a total of 17 players.
Cory Gibbs and Edgaras Jankauskas were not available for the Revolution because of quad injuries – although both are close to returning – while Matt Reis and Taylor Twellman did not make the trip to Orlando. Of the available players, only backup goalkeepers Bobby Shuttleworth and Rylan Hawkins, along with guest player Khano Smith, didn’t see action.
FC Dallas opened the scoring in the 13th minute courtesy of a quick break out of the back. Midfielder Brek Shea ran onto a long ball into space down the right wing and steadied himself before driving a low cross to the back post, where Harris was on hand to finish low past Revolution goalkeeper Preston Burpo.
The first real chance of the second half for either team didn’t arrive until the 73rd minute, when the Hoops doubled their lead to 2-0. Second-half substitute Ruben Luna slid into a one-on-one challenge with Burpo, who had charged off his line, and the ball popped free to the left of goal. Chavez was quickest to react and slid the ball into the empty net.
New England almost responded just four minutes later when Shalrie Joseph found the ball at his feet in the box following a corner kick, but his shot was deflected and sliced just wide of the right post.
The Revolution’s best chance of the game was its last, and it arrived in the 87th minute when Boggs was led into space down the right wing by Joseph before rifling a rising shot off of the outside of the right post.
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