In light of a long and brutal injury report, New England Revolution head coach Jay Heaps was forced into several changes ahead of his team's Saturday night match against the Houston Dynamo. Several changes were made in midfield and up top, while the back line was essentially set in stone due to squad absences.
Bobby Shuttleworth reprises his role in goal, prowling between the sticks behind the same back line that finished the match against New York. Kevin Alston again starts at left-back, while Darrius Barnes will get a chance to play a full ninety minutes at right-back. Defensive depth on the bench is nonexistent.
In midfield, United States World Cup veteran Benny Feilhaber finally makes his way back to the starting lineup after a long, long absence. He will pair up with Clyde Simms in the middle of the park after the former D.C. man won the fitness race after being listed as questionable with calf tightness.
Up front, Diego Fagundez makes way for Dimitry Imbongo. The move makes plenty of sense; Houston's defenders are big and they like to hit hard, and Imbongo should be much more able to handle the abuse.
Lineups
Revolution: Shuttleworth; Alston, Soares, McCarthy, Barnes; Cardenas, Feilhaber, Simms, Rowe; Bengtson, Imbongo
Bench: Reis, Roach, Gavin, Fagundez, Toja, Brettschneider, Purdie
Dynamo: Hall; Sarkodie, Taylor, Boswell, Ashe; Davis, Clark, Moffat, Garcia; Bruin, Carr
Bench: Deric, Ching, Weaver, Camargo, Creavalle, Kandji, Hainault