Welcome to Nelson Field in Austin for tonight’s preseason exhibition contest against your hometown Revolution and the host Austin Aztex. After a long week of sunny weather in the high 80s, tonight’s weather feels a bit more like home with temps expected in the 40s after the sun sets. A raucous crowd is expected tonight with this being the Aztex’s first-ever competitive game.

Starting Lineup:

Matt Reis
Chris Albright – Darrius Barnes — Jay Heaps — Kevin Alston
Sainey Nyassi — Jeff Larentowicz — Shalrie Joseph — Kenny Mansally
Mike Videira
Kheli Dube

Bench: Brad Knighton (GK), Zack Simmons (GK), Amaechi Igwe, Chris Salvaggione, Wells Thompson, Chris Tierney, Rob Valentino, Ryan Maxwell, Pat Phelan and Dado Hamzagic (and Argenis Fernandez)

Injury Report: Gabriel Badilla has not trained all week after arriving in Austin on Tuesday following an injection in his back on Monday back in Boston. Mauricio Castro was held up the last half the week after tweaking a groin strain during the Revs-Aztex scrimmage on Tuesday. Taylor Twellman is still being held out of full-contact activities and Steve Ralston suffered a slight quad strain near the end of training on Friday.

Paul Mariner is handling the head coaching duties this evening with Steve Nicol in Africa this weekend. Goalkeepers coach Gwynne Williams is also on the bench.

After a 15 minute delay so fans backed up at the entrances, the teams have marched out to midfield for introductions.

It is exceptionally windy here, with steady winds around 25 mph and gusts up to 45 mph.

Shalrie Joseph is tonight’s captain in Steve Ralston’s absence.

Revs are wearing all white - white long-sleeve away jerseys, white shorts and white socks. Austin is in red and white vertical striped jerseys, red shorts ad red socks.

Revs start the game attacking into the wind, headed north, while Austin is attacking toward the south with in the wind.

And we’re underway.

2′ - First shot on goal of the match as Nyassi plays Dube through at the top of thse box and his shot toward the far post is saved.

4′ - First card of the match after a hard shove on Mansally along the touchline by the Aztex. He’s still on the ground and head athletic trainer Sean Kupiec has made his first venture on the field this preseason. Resulting free kick is taken by Videira, near the corner of the box, but it doesn’t clear the wall.

7′ - Reis’ first goal kick made it just over midfield before practically hitting a wall of air and dying straight down.

7′ - 1-0 Revs: Videria (Alston) … Videira steps in to a cross by Alston that skips off a defender to the edge of the box. Mansally played Alston down the line on the overlap, setting up the cross for the goal.

10′ - Austin’s first shot of the night is saved by Reis, a 32-yard strike from the left center channel.

Revs’ lineup on the field right now has an average of 4.1 years of MLS experience, but includes Reis (11 years), Heaps (10 years), Albright (10 years) and Joseph (6 years). Three players have no MLS experience and three have two or fewers years of MLS experience.

Slight adjustment to the starting lineup that was posted compared to what is actually playing - Albright has taken up his usual right back position, while Alston has slotted in on the left back spot.

16′ - Austin shot and save by Reis, a flicked on header from 10 yards out right at Reis.

20′ - Offside on the Revs has Dube collects Videira’s flick just a step behind the Aztex’s backline.

21′ - Nyassi’s hard-charging shot from 12 yards kicks off the crossbar after Albright sends him in down the line.

24′ - Dangerous cross from the right by Austin, but Reis comes way out to make a diving punch back into the midfield.

32′ - Both teams seems to be concentrating on breaking play down in the midfield with a few rushes into the attacking thirds, but neither team can string together the next-to-last pass and threaten.

33′ - Mansally threads in a bending pass into the box that hand-ties the goalkeeper, but the Aztex’s central defender heads it away before Dube can connect.

42′ - Second yellow card of the match, shown to Aztex after Joseph’s legs were taken out from under him with his back to the play.

45+’ - Aztex corner kick as time winds down at the service goes over the box and out of bounds.

HALFTIME: Revolution 1, Aztex 0

46′ - No changes for the Revs to start the second half, but Austin changes 10 of 11.

Revs now attacking with the wind (headed south), while Austin is attacking into the wind (headed north).

51′ - Larentowicz with either team’s first shot of the half, a blast from 30 yards on the turn that goes high.

53′ - First Revs card of the evening to Videira for a slight trip on an attacker.

57′ - 2-0 Revs (Own goal) … Mansally’s inswinging corner kick is headed straight back into goal by the Aztex’ central defender in his attempt to head the ball away.

59′ - Revs sub: Tierney on for Videria and goes into left mid, pushing Mansally into the withdrawn role

Nyassi down on the turf, going down away from the play, but he’s back up and walking it off now.

61′ - Joseph with a long-range shot that’s saved by the Aztex’s back-up keeper.

68′ - Austin corner kick is cleared off the line by Nyassi to keep the 2-0 scoreline

69′- Austin sub at center back

(It’s so chilly out that Mariner has brought a towel out from the locker room to wrap around his legs on the bench.)

72′ - Revs sub: Maxwell on for Nyassi on the right wing

(Alston has some speed on the wing folks …)

76′ - Revs sub: Valentino on for Barnes in central defense next to Heaps

Former Rev Kyle Brown is up top for the Aztex

77′ - Reis comes way out reach the edge of the box to make a save in traffic on a counter

82′ - Dangerous run by the Aztex down the right wing, but the cross sails cross field and out of bounds after the wing’s first touch

(This feels like classic New England fall weather with the chill in the air and heavy wind)

FINAL: Revolution 2, Austin Aztex 0

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