ESPN

Only six weeks have passed since the Revolution and D.C. United last met. But for Saturday’s rematch at RFK Stadium, an entirely new set of new challenges await the Revolution.

Since their Apr. 14 encounter -- which D.C. won 2-1 -- D.C. has gone from a struggling mid-table team (1-2-2, five goals) to a conference contender (7-4-3, 25 goals). And it hasn’t been by accident.

Reigning league MVP Dwayne DeRosario, who opened the season goalless in his first eight games, has scored five in the last six games. That, coupled with a league-leading seven-assists, has only fortified his reputation as one of the most dangerous players in MLS.

Another reason for D.C.’s resurgence has been the two-headed beast of Maicon Santos (six goals, one assist) and Hamdi Salihi (four goals). When both are banging on the door, it’s only a matter of time before either put the ball in the back of the net.

It would be easy to simply point at United’s best players when searching for the back story of their success. But credit must also be given to second-year head coach Ben Olsen.

In recent weeks, D.C. has endured a rash of injuries across the field. Yet, Olsen has been particularly astute in managing his lineup, as D.C. has gone unbeaten in seven of its last nine (6-2-1).

Suffice to say, the United side the Revolution face won’t be a replica of the one they faced six weeks ago. So what will the Revolution need to do to get a result at RFK on Saturday? Here are three keys they’ll need to focus on:

1. Find a way to contain Dwayne DeRosario. Under normal circumstances, Clyde Simms would be given the task of keeping tabs on the attacking midfielder. But with Simms listed as “out” due to ankle tendonitis, the responsibility will likely fall to versatile midfielder Ryan Guy, with a little -- or a lot -- of help from Shalrie Joseph. If there’s one challenge the Revolution will have to overcome, it’s keeping DeRosario -- who assisted on D.C.’s first goal in their Apr. 14 meeting -- quiet. Well, relatively quiet.

2. Get the ball to Saer Sene. If early-season form is any indication, the French forward has become the goalscorer the Revolution have searched for since Taylor Twellman retired in 2010. Whether it’s in the air, on the volley, or with the ball at his feet, Sene has proven that all he needs is the ball, and the net nearby. And with D.C.’s backline beset by injuries, the Revolution have to find a way to give Sene as many chances as possible.

3. Create opportunities on set pieces. For all the talk of the Revolution’s struggles on defensive set pieces, the fact is they haven’t been great on offensive ones, either. Still searching for its first set piece goal, the Revolution have the bodies to bang it through near the net. And with Chris Tierney’s apparent return to form on free kicks, the Revolution have to find a way to put one through via the set piece.

Although D.C. is a team on the rise, the Revolution aren’t exactly struggling themselves. Unbeaten in three of its last four (2-1-1), the Revolution have to approach this as a winnable game. Otherwise, it could be a long night in the Nation’s Capital for the guests.

Brian O'Connell is covering the Revolution for ESPNBoston.com. He is the co-founder of New England Soccer Today (www.nesoccertoday.com), which covers professional soccer within New England. He can be reached at BOConnell21@aol.com.

After back-to-back home games, the Revolution (4-6-1, 13 points) return to the road on Saturday to face a surging D.C. United (7-4-3, 24 points) squad for the second time this season at RFK Stadium.

The game is set to kick off at 7:30 p.m. and will be televised regionally on Comcast SportsNet New England. The Sports Hub 98.5 will provide a radio broadcast to local listeners.

On Apr. 14, D.C. handed the Revolution a 2-1 defeat at Gillette Stadium after United strikers Maicon Santos (19') and Chris Pontius (82') responded to a 6th-minute tally from Revolution striker Jose Moreno.

REVS NOTES:
• Saturday's conference clash will be the second of three games the Revolution and United play during the regular season. The teams will meet again on Sept. 15 at RFK Stadium.

• The Revolution have been undefeated in their last three games (2-0-1) at RFK Stadium. The last time that the United got the best of the Revolution was a 2-1 win back on Oct. 16, 2008.

• The return of former D.C. United/current Revolution center half Clyde Simms to the Nation's capital is up in the air after he missed last week's game due to ankle tendinitis. Simms, who spent seven years in D.C. (2005-2011), is listed as "out" on the Revolution's May 22 injury report.

• Meanwhile, another former D.C. United player -- Revolution forward Blake Brettschneider -- is projected to start against the team that drafted him in the second round of the 2011 MLS Supplemental Draft. In five games with the Revs in 2012, the second-year veteran has one goal to his credit.

• The Revolution will play their third-round U.S. Open Cup match against the Harrisburg City Islanders at Skyline Sports Complex on May 29 in Harrisburg, Pa.

• Former Revolution midfielder/forward Kenny Mansally saw action with the D.C. United reserves on Sunday against the Revolution reserves. Mansally, who was listed as a "guest player" for the United reserves, went the full 90 in Sunday's 0-0 draw.

• The Revolution Youth Academy teams went a combined 0-1-1 against FC Greater Boston on May 19 at Harvard University's Soldiers Field Soccer Stadium. The Revs' U-16s earned a 2-2 draw against the Greater Boston U-16s, while the Revs' U-18s fell 1-0 to the Greater Boston U-18s.

INJURY REPORTS (as of May 22):
D.C. UNITED -- OUT: MF Lance Rozeboom (L knee ACL tear); DF Robbie Russell (L hamstring strain); MF Danny Cruz (R hamstring strain); QUESTIONABLE: FW Chris Pontius (gluteus minimus strain); MF Nick DeLeon (L hamstring strain); GK Joe Willis (eye contusion); PROBABLE: DF Emiliano Dudar (L hamstring strain); FW Maicon Santos (L calf strain); MF Marcelo Saragosa (R soleus strain)

NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION -- OUT: FW Zak Boggs (R ankle sprain); DF Flo Lechner (R foot fifth metatarsal fracture); MF Sainey Nyassi (R hamstring strain); MF Clyde Simms (L ankle tendonitis); FW Jeremiah White (concussion); PROBABLE: MF Lee Nguyen (R shoulder sprain)

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Ryan Guy wasn’t given a safety net on Saturday in his first game back from a right calf injury that sidelined him for over a month.

The reason? Because Ryan Guy would have to serve as the safety net for the rest of his teammates against the Houston Dynamo.

With Clyde Simms -- the Revolution’s reliable stop-gap in the central midfield -- unavailable on Saturday due an injury of his own, Heaps called upon Guy to assume a crucial role.

“I knew coming into it that I had big shoes to fill,” Guy said after Saturday’s 2-2 draw to Houston. “So I did my best basically to do what Clyde does for the team and I think Shalrie (Joseph) and I held the midfield well.”

It was a role that Guy wasn’t especially familiar with. A wide/attacking midfielder by trade, Guy is often relied upon to push forward and force the issue on offense.

But on Saturday, he was asked to do the exact opposite. In Simms’ spot, he was counted upon to stay behind and act as a safety net when the Revolution lost possession. Given the speedy midfielder’s tireless work ethic, Heaps couldn’t help but tip his cap toward Guy in light of circumstances.

“I thought Ryan Guy had a very good night plugging away holes,” Heaps said following the game. “I think Ryan did some good things tonight and I like him for that role.”

Although it may have been an entirely new assignment, Heaps knew that his versatile midfielder was his best bet to fill in for Simms. In the Revolution’s 1-0 win over Portland, Guy pitched in defensively after right back Kevin Alston was kicked in the face by Franck Sango’o late in the game.

In training, Guy saw more time in the back as injuries decimated the back four. And with Heaps keeping Stephen McCarthy, who held one of the central midfield spots last season, in the rear, it stood to reason that Guy would be the first option with Simms out.

While Heaps acknowledged Guy’s efforts, there was no escaping that there may have been instances in which the midfield seemed out of sorts.

“Ryan did a good job,” Heaps said. “But (the other midfielders are) still learning where each other are going to be. We trained hard in that set so they were comfortable, but they never really got to understand each other there.”

Even so, the Revolution managed to put together a performance that granted them a 2-1 lead going in the late stages before Luiz Camargo equalized in the 87th minute.

It was a painful way to leave points on the pitch, for sure. But Guy, who went the full 90 for the first time in over a month, kept things in perspective.

“I felt good, fortunately I got through the 90 minutes injury-free,” Guy said. “Some nights don’t exactly come off like you’d like them to. But I think on the whole, we did have flashes of how we do play and how we normally play.”

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- For all the positives the Revolution have accomplished this season after last season's struggles, there have been times when the ghosts of 2011 reappear.
On Saturday, one of those ghosts came back to haunt them.

In a scene reminiscent of last season, the Revolution conceded a late-game equalizer and were forced to settle for a 2-2 draw to the Dynamo.

"In this game, you take one misstep and someone's in," Revolution midfielder Ryan Guy said. "Someone gets a good touch and a good shot. Unfortunately, it happens."

Despite the late-game disappointment, the Revolution managed to put themselves in a position for three points by staying within themselves and sticking to their game plan.

That game plan? Stay patient and exploit the few opportunities granted by the organized and compact Dynamo defense.

New England seized the first opportunity midway through the first frame when Chris Tierney crossed it into the area toward a closely marked Saer Sene -- a little too closely, as it turned out, when Sene was brought down by Brad Davis inside the box.

Referee Baldomero Toledo pointed to the spot, and Sene -- rather than club captain Shalrie Joseph, the usual choice -- buried it to put the Revolution on top in the 26th minute.

"In practice, (Shalrie) and I shoot the penalty kicks," Sene said. "I told him 'Let me keep it.' And he let me take the penalty kick, and I scored."

But Sene's strike from the spot didn't hold up for long. With the Dynamo slowly moving the ball and keeping possession, Davis found a measure of redemption shortly after the half-hour mark.

On a free kick from the depths of the midfield, the set-piece specialist whipped a precise pass that found Will Bruin in the box, where the Dynamo striker snuck it through at the far post to make it one all in the 32nd minute.

"It's a big strength of theirs," Soares said of the Dynamo's set pieces. "They're good at it. So it's understandable that they scored one. But we just have to look at the film and we have to be a little bit better, a little bit tougher and not let it happen again."

Knotted at 1 going into the second half, the Revolution were ready to hunt for the go-ahead. Although the possession stat (40.3 percent) certainly wasn't in their favor, the Revolution seized another opportunity. And it was Sene who stepped up -- again.

After Blake Brettschneider poked it away from Dynamo defender Geoff Cameron, Sene collected it from midfield and ran at Tally Hall, the only player standing in his way. Looking for his second goal of the game, the French forward whipped his shot and sent it through to regain the Revolution lead in the 57th minute.

"I ran to the goal first, and then I looked to my right side to see if Blake is here," Sene said. "He wasn't there and I took the chance, shot, and scored."

When Davis exited the match in the 70th minute, the Revolution had to believe that the game was theirs. With the Dynamo's most potent weapon off the pitch, all the hosts had to do is mark tight and stay strong defensively.

But much like it did so often last season, the Revolution defense cracked in crunch time. Off a turnover in the defending third, Luis Camargo played it inside to Brian Ching, who sent it ahead on the give-and-go toward the right post, where a loosely marked Camargo buried it inside the near post in the 87th minute.

"They threw numbers forward," Soares said. "And it was just one play that, as a back line, we weren't quite tight enough and close enough to our men, both [Stephen McCarthy and I. Just one little breakdown over 90 minutes and that's kind of what cost us two points out there."

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- It’s the quiet ones you have to keep an eye on. The Revolution would be wise to heed that advice when they face Houston on Saturday.

For the Dynamo, it’s all about the finished product rather than the process. It’s about grinding out points rather than playing with piz-azz. Fundamentals over flashiness.

Although the Revolution have certainly played stronger teams, they know the danger the Dynamo present.

“They’re really good at being tight on defense and being very compact and organized,” Revolution center back A.J. Soares said. “They can lull teams to sleep by just being so compact and tight and defending so well.”

Through nine games, the Dynamo have only allowed eight goals and are coming off of back-to-back shutouts to D.C. and Portland. Defense? Yes, you could say the Dynamo have it figured out.

But no team can win without scoring a few goals. And, true to form, the Houston’s offense isn’t predicated on a high-tempo, jailbreak-style attack. Instead, they move the ball around. They stay patient. And they pick their spots -- literally.

“When they get on set pieces, they’re dangerous,” Revolution head coach Jay Heaps said. “I think Brad Davis is one of the best free kick specialists in the country (and) even at times as dangerous as David Beckham. To me, they stand out on free kicks.”

Free kicks: not the Revolution’s strength through its first 10 games. After allowing four goals directly from dead ball situations in a six-game stretch, the Revolution tightened up its form against Vancouver last week. The result: zero set piece goals.

“Last week, we spent so much time on set pieces and we didn’t allow a set piece goal,” Revolution captain Shalrie Joseph said. “This week it’s going to be more important. We have to pay attention to our man, stay strong in the box and just defend well.”

Easier said than done, of course. Not only do the Revolution have to worry about the service Davis whips in after the whistle, they also have to account for the target men inside the scrum.

Brian Ching (6-1), Bobby Boswell (6-2) and Will Bruin (6-2) have all proved problematic for opposing teams on set pieces. So to limit their opportunities, Heaps said the focus is simple.

“It’s important for us to make sure we limit fouling,” Heaps said. “It’s important to play without fouling, to play smart defense, and to keep them out of our attacking third (so) the free kicks won’t be so dangerous.”

Set pieces and defense aside, the Revolution know they’ll also have to muster up some offense -- especially at home. How do they intend to do it against the Dynamo’s stifling defense? Well, reigning MLS Player of the Week Lee Nguyen -- who collected two goals and an assist in last week’s 4-1 win over the Whitecaps -- has an idea.

“We just have to play quick passes,” Nguyen said. “One-two touches and move the ball quickly and when we get chances to go at them, we can break them down that way.”

If that sounds a lot like the game plan employed against the Whitecaps last week, well, you’d be right -- and Nguyen didn’t shy away from mentioning it.

“It’s kind of like how we played against Vancouver after the first goal,” Nguyen said. “We just have to make sure that tactically everyone’s compact. We have to know where everybody is, be wary of players running in behind, picking up your man and really communicating.”

Brian O'Connell is covering the Revolution for ESPNBoston.com. He is the co-founder of New England Soccer Today (www.nesoccertoday.com), which covers professional soccer within New England. He can be reached at BOConnell21@aol.com.

In conjunction with Armed Forces Day, the Revolution will offer a “Salute to Heroes” at its Saturday, May 19, match against the Houston Dynamo at Gillette Stadium (7:30 p.m. ET).

The Revolution and New England Revolution Charitable Foundation have planned a series of events and activities to celebrate the region’s military heroes, veterans and their families, including inviting members of the Armed Services from all over New England to the game. More than 3,500 tickets have been distributed to service members.

Other activities planned for the night include:

-- U.S. Army and U.S. Marine H-3 vehicles will be on display in Patriot Place Plaza and the parking lots

-- The Army and Marines will set up pull-up bars for competitions among fans

-- The Army will have a dog-tag-making machine to make custom tags for fans

-- Cell Phones for Soldiers will be on-site to collect gently used cell phones to distribute to soldiers overseas

-- DIGGER DAWG -- a featured Armed Forces Entertainment act -- will perform in Patriot Place Plaza

-- The night’s Honor Guard will feature one member of each military service branch

-- The Liberty Band will perform the National Anthem

-- A large United States flag will be presented on-field for the National Anthem

-- The U.S. Army and Marine Corps will perform enlistment ceremonies on the Gillette Stadium field

-- Members from the Army and Marine Corps will face off in a halftime competition

Revolution midfielder Lee Nguyen, who scored two goals in the Revs 4-1 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps last Saturday, stopped by to talk with Adam Jones.

Check out the full podcast here.

For the second straight week, the Revolution (4-6-0, 12 points) will host an opponent in the midst of an eight-day, three-game stretch when the Houston Dynamo (3-3-3, 12 points) step onto the field Saturday at Gillette Stadium.

The game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. and Comcast SportsNet New England will televise it locally. Local listeners can tune into The Sports Hub 98.5 for the radio broadcast.

Saturday's intra-conference contest is the first of two between the Revolution and Dynamo during the regular season. New England travels to Houston on Sept. 29. Last season, the Dynamo got the best of the Revolution by grabbing a 1-0 win in Houston on April 17, then claiming a 1-1 draw at Foxboro on Aug. 17.

REVS NOTES:

• Revolution midfielder Lee Nguyen won MLS Player of the Week for Week 10 after a two-goal, one-assist performance against the Whitecaps on May 12. He is the first Revolution player to win the award since Kenny Mansally won it for Week 2 of the 2010 MLS season.

• Six players from the 2006 and 2007 MLS Cup contests between the Revolution and Dynamo -- which were both won by the Dynamo -- will be present for Saturday's game. Brad Davis and Brian Ching will suit up for the Dynamo while Matt Reis and Shalrie Joseph will be on the field for the Revolution. Meanwhile, a pair of former Revolution teammates from the two Cup clashes will be on opposite benches. Revolution head coach Jay Heaps and Dynamo assistant coach Steve Ralston will renew acquaintances on Saturday.

• The Revolution own a 2-1-3 record against the Dynamo at Gillette Stadium, with the lone loss coming in a 3-0 defeat on May 3, 2009.

• The last five Revolution-Dynamo contests have been decided by a goal or less.

• The Revolution reserves return to action Sunday for a match against the D.C. United reserves at Gillette Stadium. The game will kick off at 2:30 p.m.

• The Revolution will begin their quest for the U.S. Open Cup on May 29 against the winner of the second-round match between the Harrisburg City Islanders (USL PRO) and Long Island Rough Riders (PDL) on May 22. If the Islanders win, the Revolution will travel to Harrisburg City. But if the Rough Riders claim victory, the Revolution will host them at Soldier's Soccer Field at Harvard University. Game times for either scenario have not yet been determined.

INJURY REPORTS (as of May 15)

HOUSTON DYNAMO -- OUT: GK Erich Marscheider (R shoulder sprain); DF Kofi Sarkodie (R foot sprain); FW Brian Ownby (L elbow dislocation)

NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION -- OUT: FW Zak Boggs (R ankle sprain); DF Flo Lechner (R foot fifth metatarsal fracture); MF Sainey Nyassi (R hamstring strain); FW Jeremiah White (concussion); DOUBTFUL: MF Clyde Simms (L ankle tendonitis); QUESTIONABLE: FW Jose Moreno (R calf strain); MF Kelyn Rowe (L hamstring strain); PROBABLE: MF Ryan Guy (R calf stiffness)

Brian O'Connell is covering the Revolution for ESPNBoston.com. He is the co-founder of New England Soccer Today (www.nesoccertoday.com), which covers professional soccer within New England. He can be reached at BOConnell21@aol.com.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- It may not have been the way Jay Heaps drew it up, but there was something about Eric Hassli’s fifth minute goal that would show what the Revolution were made of.

Whether the early deficit shocked the Revolution into scrapping the blueprints and getting to work, or whether it gave the Whitecaps a false sense of security, one thing was for sure: It opened the door for the hosts to make a statement.

“I’m a big believer (in that) when you give something up, you have to take advantage and press a little bit," Heaps said. “That’s what we were trying to do -- get after it right away.”

In recent years, conceding an early goal often sent the Revolution into panic mode. After they got the ball back, each player tried to do it all. The concept of teamwork was thrown into the dumpster. And as a result, they often struggled to dig itself out of an early deficit.

But Saturday’s game against the Whitecaps proved otherwise. It proved that the Revolution under Heaps’ watch were a new breed. No more slumped shoulders, dejected looks or 11 different agendas.

“You kind of felt like when the goal went in, heads didn’t drop,” Revolution left back Chris Tierney said. “You know, things happen. We picked ourselves up and got right back in it.”

And they didn’t waste any time doing so. Less than a minute after Matt Reis picked the ball out of the net, Benny Feilhaber led a charge into the attacking third that concluded with Lee Nguyen whipping the equalizer into the back of the net.

It didn’t end there, either. Saer Sene scored his team-leading fourth goal of the season in the 24th minute to give the Revolution the go-ahead. In the 33rd minute, Shalrie Joseph put himself on the scoresheet for the first time in 2012 with a hard shot that made it a 3-1 game.

To cap the Revolution’s breathtaking display of firepower, Nguyen scored a masterpiece from 25-yards out that stunned the Foxboro faithful. Four unanswered goals later, and the slow start was all but forgotten.

“We worked hard and we didn’t give up after that first goal,” Nguyen said. “It was a shocker when they scored. And to come back like that, it helped everybody push forward. Then Saer (Sène) getting the second goal after that, everyone just gained more confidence.”

In hindsight, you could say that Saturday’s win was more than just a crowd-pleasing offensive performance. Rather, it was an exercise in character building. It was a test. A test of how the Heaps’ squad would respond when the chips were down early.

If Saturday’s win proved anything, it was this: The days of dreading early mistakes and playing cautiously are over. Adversity? It’s now something to tackle, rather than duck and hide from.

“We kind of got sucker punched there (at the beginning),” Tierney said. “But we liked the way we started the game. We were up for it tonight.”

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Lee Nguyen didn't take any verbal shots against his former team in the week leading up to Saturday's contest against the Whitecaps. Instead, he let his right foot to do the talking.

With two goals and an assist, Nguyen made a statement more powerful than words in the Revolution's 4-1 win over Vancouver at Gillette Stadium.

"I couldn't have dreamt it any better," Nguyen said. "I felt good in the warm-ups, and from there it carried onto the field."

But before Nguyen took center stage, he and his teammates had to shake off a rough start.

Five minutes into the match, Davide Chiumiento played it ahead to Sebastien Le Toux, who took it to the end line. With little space to work with, he sent it back into the box, where Eric Hassli met it, then sent it through for the opening goal.

"We worked all week on making sure we started off well, and we didn't," Revolution head coach Jay Heaps said. "That's disappointing, but at the same time, it woke us up a little bit."

It didn't take long for the Revolution to rub their eyes and get on their feet. In the 6th minute, Blake Brettschneider grabbed a Benny Feilhaber ball and fired a shot that deflected off a defender. But Nguyen collected the rebound and scored his first goal of the season.

That goal alone would have made it a night to remember for Nguyen. However, there would be more from the former Whitecaps midfielder as the game progressed.

In the 24th minute, Nguyen evaded three defenders before he played through to Saer Sene inside the box, where the French striker quickly put it through to put the Revolution on top.

"(There's) no one word to describe how he did on both sides of the ball," Revolution central midfielder Shalrie Joseph said. "He's just a good player on the ball. And defensively, he's been working to get under the defensive side of the ball and if he continues (it), the sky's the limit for him."

The Revolution padded their lead in the 33rd minute when Sene played it into the area, where it bounced around before Joseph put his foot on it and fired it past Joe Cannon for the two-goal lead.

Even though Vancouver -- who were playing their third game in eight days -- may have suffered from tired legs, they tried to get one back before the hour.

With a free kick from 30 yards, Alain Rochat hit hard toward goal and caught a deflection off the wall that nearly squired through before goalie Matt Reis reached to the left to keep it in front of him in the 57th minute.

Fifteen minutes later, Nguyen put the exclamation point on his evening. Off a Chris Tierney throw in, Nguyen took it with space in front of him. But instead of passing it along or taking the dribble, he shot it from 25 yards and put it in the upper 90 to cap the scoring in the 72nd minute.

"It was one of those (situations) where you're like 'let's keep it moving and pass it along,' " Tierney said. "As he was taking it, I was kind of like 'I don't know.' But it worked out. He can take them for the rest of the year as far as I'm concerned."

With a sensational night in the books, Heaps took his playmaker off in the 80th minute to a standing ovation from the 12,112 on hand for the inter-conference clash.

After the game, Heaps said he could tell that Nguyen wanted to make an impression against his former team.

"I think that Lee had a little something to show tonight," Heaps said. "But it was not against Martin Rennie, it was not against the organization. It was just one of those (situations) where (he) felt a little slighted and he showed it tonight."

Slighted or not, Nguyen refused to twist the knife against his former team afterward in the locker room. Instead, he said he was simply happy to help out the winning effort.

"I wouldn't say 'revenge,' " Nguyen said. "I'm just relieved. I'm just happy we got the win. I'm just glad for my teammates. We worked hard and we didn't give up after that first goal. It was a great win."

Brian O'Connell is covering the Revolution for ESPNBoston.com. He is the co-founder of New England Soccer Today (www.nesoccertoday.com), which covers professional soccer within New England. He can be reached at BOConnell21@aol.com.

Coming off hard-fought 2-1 loss at Real Salt Lake, the Revolution (3-6-0, 9 points) will have a week to rest tired legs before they welcome the Vancouver Whitecaps FC (5-2-2, 17 points) to Gillette Stadium on Saturday.

The game will kick off at 7:30pm and will be televised on Comcast SportsNet New England. Local listeners can catch a radio feed on The Sports Hub 98.5.

Saturday’s inter-conference contest will be the lone regular season meeting between the Revolution and Whitecaps. Last year, the Revolution claimed a 1-0-1 advantage over Vancouver, with a 1-1 draw at Empire Field on Apr. 6 and a 1-0 win at Gillette Stadium on May 14.

REVS NOTES:

-- Although the Revolution’s record currently sits below .500, they claimed a major victory on Tuesday -- albeit off the field. Following Saturday’s game at Salt Lake, the team filed an appeal of the 81st minute red card issued to midfielder Fernando Cardenas after video replay revealed that referee Chris Gantar’s ruling on Cardenas, who collided with Salt Lake center back Jamison Olave during the play in question, may have been incorrect. Upon reviewing the evidence, an independent panel unanimously voted that the red card was incorrectly booked, and the league rescinded the accompanying one-game suspension and fine. The successful appeal is the first under the new disciplinary review system implemented by the league prior to the start of the regular season.

-- After playing six of their first nine on the road, Saturday’s contest kicks off the Revolution’s first set of back-to-back home games this season. Following their match against the Whitecaps, the team will remain at home to face the Houston Dynamo on May 19.

-- Former Revolution Academy product Scott Caldwell trained with the Revolution on Wednesday. The Braintree, Mass. native recently completed the spring semester at Akron University and saw extensive time at center back during Wednesday morning’s practice session.

-- One player on the Revolution roster who’s particularly familiar with the Whitecaps is midfielder Lee Nguyen. The 25-year-old midfield signed with Vancouver in December and spent the bulk of the preseason with the team until he was waived on Mar. 1. The Revolution claimed him the following day.

-- Meanwhile, former Revolution goalkeeper Brad Knighton will be back in Foxboro as the Whitecaps’ backup to starter Joe Cannon. Knighton spent three seasons with the Revolution (2007-09) and posted a 2.33 GAA in six career games in New England.

INJURY REPORTS (as of May 8)

NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION -- OUT: FW Zak Boggs (R ankle sprain); MF Ryan Guy (R calf stiffness); DF Flo Lechner (R foot fifth metatarsal fracture); FW Jose Moreno (R calf strain); MF Sainey Nyassi (R hamstring strain); FW Jeremiah White (concussion)

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC -- OUT: GK Brian Sylvestre (R knee surgery); QUESTIONABLE: FW Atiba Harris (R quad contusion)

Brian O'Connell is covering the Revolution for ESPNBoston.com. He is the co-founder of New England Soccer Today (www.nesoccertoday.com), which covers professional soccer within New England. He can be reached at BOConnell21@aol.com.

Revolution forward Fernando Cardenas had a red card called against him May 5 against Real Salt Lake overturned, meaning his one-game suspension and fine have been rescinded by MLS.

An independent review panel consisting of representatives of the Canadian Soccer Association, the Professional Referee Organization and US Soccer unanimously determined that Cardenas was incorrectly shown the red card in the 81st minute (click here for video). The Revolution had appealed the red card under a review process that was instituted this season.

“We’re very pleased Fernando Cardenas’ red card has been overturned and he will be available this weekend," Revolution general manager Michael Burns said in a statement. "When the red-card appeal process was introduced this offseason, teams knew that there was a high standard for the type of call that would be considered and that there were serious penalties for frivolous challenges. We’ve had what we’ve felt were a number of questionable calls against us this year.

"However, in this case, Fernando did not even make contact with the opposing player on Saturday and was still sent off for a ‘serious foul on a tackle.’ We disagreed with the call so vehemently that we felt we had no choice but to appeal. As the video confirmed and the review panel recognized, Fernando never made contact with the opposing player and his red card was correctly lifted.”

It was a challenge that the Revolution were well aware of going into Saturday's game against Real Salt Lake.

Despite the fact that Salt Lake had gone winless in three of its previous four prior, the Revolution knew one thing for sure: they’d have to contend with a methodical, yet unmerciful midfield.

"We feel that Salt Lake’s pride and joy is in the midfield,” Revolution central midfielder Clyde Simms said following Saturday’s 2-1 Revolution loss. “That’s where they like to play. They stay tight both offensively and defensively, so we try to clog up the middle and change their game plan a little bit.”

In the hopes of taming Salt Lake, Revolution head coach Jay Heaps had a plan. Rather than going with a four-man midfield, Heaps went with five in the middle, hoping to limit space to stifle Salt Lake’s measured attack.

But even Heaps knew that it would take more than numbers to deal with a team whose midfield and forwards have a symbiotic understanding of each other.

“They are a veteran team and they have that cohesiveness when the going gets tough,” Heaps said. “They know that they can lean on each other.”

And on Saturday, the Revolution didn’t have to wait long to feel the effects of their adversary’s dangerous form. Thirty seconds after the opening whistle, Fabian Espindola crashed the area and pressed keeper Matt Reis into action on a heady save and subsequent clearance. So much for slowly easing into the match.

But, then again, the Revolution expected it to be that kind of game. Even after Blake Brettschneider's 22nd minute strike, Salt Lake’s midfield pressed the issue -- and then pressed it some more.

Taking advantage of a pair of defensive miscues, Salt Lake’s midfield set the table for striker Alvaro Saborio to grab the equalizer and game-winner in the 33rd and 55th minutes, respectively.

“Some of the goals given up have been a little soft,” Simms said. “We will work on that and get better to be able to become a tough team.”

The Revolution dusted themselves off and created chances of their own after Saborio's second strike. But they had another tall hurdle ahead of them: Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando.

In the final 20 minutes, the All-Star 'keeper dazzled. In the 72nd minute, he made a pair of diving saves against Brettschneider and Fernando Cardenas in the 72nd minute, and snuffed out a stoppage time breach when Benny Feilhaber went alone on him inside the area.

"We give credit where credit is due," Heaps said. "Rimando had a nice game. He had some good saves (and) kept their guys where they are."

In the end, the challenges presented by Salt Lake’s midfielders -- as well as Rimando -- were simply too much for the Revolution to overcome. Even so, Simms was encouraged by the way his teammates never backed down when Salt Lake showed its teeth.

“We feel like we are playing great soccer,” Simms said. “(We’re) just a little unfortunate with our results.”

Brian O'Connell is covering the Revolution for ESPNBoston.com. He is the co-founder of New England Soccer Today (www.nesoccertoday.com), which covers professional soccer within New England. He can be reached at BOConnell21@aol.com.

SANDY, Utah -- Real Salt Lake has the New England Revolution's number.

The Revolution did several things right against Salt Lake. New England scored first. It played aggressive for 90 minutes, trading blows with Salt Lake on both ends of the field. None of it proved enough to shake a lingering jinx the Revolution has experienced in recent seasons.

Alvaro Saborio scored twice and Salt Lake ran its unbeaten streak against New England to five games, beating the Revolution 2-1 on Saturday night. The victory also boosted RSL into a first-place tie with San Jose and Seattle atop the Western Conference.

Salt Lake (7-3-1) has dealt the Revolution two of their worst losses in club history during the unbeaten string that stretches to 2009 -- winning 6-0 in 2009 and 5-0 in 2010.

Given that history, trailing by a single goal was no insurmountable obstacle.

"We don't stop believing," midfielder Kyle Beckerman said. "Tonight we went down a goal and there wasn't any doubt in our mind that we were going to win this game."

RSL claimed its latest victory even while playing part of the second half a man down. Salt Lake yielded the man advantage when Will Johnson was shown a red card in the 59th minute for a foul on Clyde Simms. The Revolution lost the man advantage when reserve forward Fernando Cardenas was given a red card in the 82nd minute for a foul on Jamison Olave.

Being forced to play only 10 players could have resulted in a negative momentum shift for RSL. It did not play out that way. Salt Lake stayed aggressive and kept pounding the ball at the goal, forcing New England goalkeeper Matt Reis to make several incredible saves.

"We're unfazed," RSL coach Jason Kreis said. "This team has probably been through literally every tactical situation there could be. Everybody probably even knows what we're doing. We don't have to tell them what the shape is going to be. We go into that shape and carry on."

New England (3-6-0) struck first on Blake Brettschneider's goal in the 22nd minute. He dribbled into the left side of the box and blasted a right footed shot past RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando into the right corner.

It was exactly the kind of start the Revolution hoped to get against their league nemesis.

"We definitely felt confident going forward," Brettschneider said. "It's a tough place to play with altitude and the environment. They're just a good team in general."

Salt Lake began tied it in the 34th minute. Beckerman dropped the ball in the middle of a cluster of players outside the goalmouth, Javier Morales knocked it down with his head and it fell at Sabario's feet for an easy goal into an empty net after Reis dived for the ball.

Saborio put Salt Lake ahead in the 55th minute. Morales booted a free kick over a three-man defensive wall and sent a cross toward Saborio near the far post. He outjumped the closest New England defender and headed the ball into the net.

Morales thought Salt Lake had several more goals left in the tank, but said the complexion of the game changed entirely once Johnson left with his red card. From that point on, it was simply about survival.

"Down a man, it's hard to play," Morales said. "We scored the second goal and we were playing pretty good. Then another red card changed the game."

Johnson will serve a mandatory one-game suspension when Salt Lake plays the Chicago Fire on Wednesday night. Cardenas will sit out New England's home match against the Vancouver Whitecaps next Saturday.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- So much for savoring the sweet splendor of victory.

Less than 24 hours after they snapped a three-game losing streak courtesy of Wednesday’s 2-1 win over Colorado, the Revolution were boarding a flight to Salt Lake for the conclusion of their grueling eight-day, three-game stretch.

But even though the players may not be terribly thrilled with the current crush of contests, the midweek win certainly put some much-needed wind in their sails.

"Going into (Saturday’s) game with a win in our back pocket is huge,” Revolution center back A.J. Soares said following Wednesday’s win. “Because I'd (be lying) if I said we were going into (it) at 100% energy and fitness level.”

And who could blame them? Energy and fitness are always a concern when a team confronts a concentrated stretch of games. It’s even more of an issue when said stretch starts in one time zone and ends in another.

Oh, and as if the hurdles weren’t high enough, the Revolution will have to contend with Real Salt Lake, who currently sit in second place on the Western Conference table.

But while some may quietly curse the schedule makers for the early-season gauntlet of games, Revolution captain Shalrie Joseph offered a simple solution for the short turnaround before Saturday’s clash.

“Rest up and try to get better,” Joseph said after Wednesday’s win. “It’s going to be a huge game. (We’re going to be) playing a game on the road against one of the best teams in the league.”

Although the only thing separating Salt Lake and first place in the west is a mere three points, the Claret-and-Cobalt are far from invincible.

In their last four games, Salt Lake has been kept out of the win column three times, and needed a stoppage time goal to edge winless-Toronto last weekend.

So, while it would be easy to get caught up in their opponents’ ranking, Joseph said the key will be mental preparedness on the task at hand.

“We just have to be ready to play,” Joseph said. “We can’t be thinking about (Wednesday’s win).”

Not that they have much time to. But even if they could, it’ll take a lot more than positive thoughts to stake three points at a place -- Rio Tinto Stadium -- they’ve never won before.

But the morale boost that comes along with claiming three points is something that can’t be understated. After enduring a three-game losing streak prior to Wednesday’s win, Soares said they’ll enter Saturday’s contest with a renewed sense of poise.

“It's big to go in with confidence,” Soares said. “And that win does it for us."

Meanwhile, Joseph summed up it best while reflecting on Wednesday’s timely result and the flight to Salt Lake on Thursday.

“We have to take the win and smile about it,” Joseph said. “Then go play one of the best teams in the league.”

Brian O'Connell is covering the Revolution for ESPNBoston.com. He is the co-founder of New England Soccer Today (www.nesoccertoday.com), which covers professional soccer within New England. He can be reached at BOConnell21@aol.com.