The New England Revolution wasted little time breaking their scoring duck in their home opener today. Just after the opening kickoff, Clyde Simms worked the ball out to the left and to Chris Tierney. The overlapping fullback played an excellent cross to the middle of the penalty area, where Saer Sene rose highest and nodded the ball home over Portland Timbers keeper Troy Perkins.
That goal was Saer Sene's first of the season and his young MLS career, as well as the first goal the Revolution have scored in competitive play in 2012. It was also Tierney's first assist of the year.
New England opened the match in a 4-4-2 and have dealt with their injury crisis in the back line by slotting captain Shalrie Joseph in next to A.J. Soares at center-back. Blake Brettschneider has returned to the lineup at striker, partnering Sene. Tyler Polak is the only natural defender on the bench.
Lineups
Revolution: Matt Reis; Kevin Alston, Shalrie Joseph, A.J. Soares, Chris Tierney; Ryan Guy, Clyde Simms, Kelyn Rowe, Lee Nguyen; Blake Brettschneider, Saer Sene
Bench: Shuttleworth, Cardenas, Fagundez, Mansally, Polak, Purdie, White
Timbers: Troy Perkins; Lovel Palmer, Hanyer Mosquera, Eric Brunner, Rodney Wallace; Kalif Alhassan, Diego Chara, Jack Jewsbury, Eric Alexander; Darlington Nagbe, Kris Boyd
Bench: Bendik, Braun, Chabala, Dike, Jean-Baptiste, Perlaza, Songo'o