Like many of you I’m still mulling over the United States’ heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Ghana in the Round of 16, ending the Americans’ run in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. It would have to be said that after overcoming a slow start, the U.S. had its chances to grab a game-winner in regular time after Landon Donovan’s perfectly-placed penalty leveled the score, but they just couldn’t convert on their chances. So begins another four-year wait for the world’s best sporting event.

However, fans of the New England Revolution will have very little time to dwell on the United States’ loss, because luckily their own Revs are back in action tonight against none other than the archrival Chicago Fire. It’s been more than three weeks since the Revolution played a league match (June 5 against Seattle) and almost a full month since last playing a regular-season game at home (May 29 against New York), and there’s no better time to get back into it than now and no better team to play against than the Fire.

Normally “Revolution Soccer Game Day” is brought to you in the form a video report from the stadium, but special circumstances bring this edition to you in blog format. Beginning early in the morning today (Sunday), the 2010 America SCORES Cup (more info on the program here) will be taking place at Gillette Stadium and as host of the event, the Revolution always enters a team in the competition. Along with fellow staff members (including some people you might’ve heard of like Jay Heaps, Brad Feldman and Brian Bilello) I’ll be participating in the tournament throughout the day.

If I don’t die of exhaustion, we’ll bring you all of our normal postgame coverage via video, but here is the Game Day preview in blog format while I prepare to test my own soccer skills for a good cause …

INTRO

Those of you familiar with the Revs know exactly what the rivalry with the Chicago Fire is all about, and the teams will clash for the first time in 2010 on Sunday night, June 27, at Gillette Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. with live coverage on Comcast SportsNet New England and 98.5 The Sports Hub.

This will be the first time the teams have met since the Fire dumped the Revs from the 2009 MLS Cup Playoffs with a dramatic 2-0 win at Toyota Park last November. It was the second consecutive year in which New England’s season came to an end in Bridgeview, Ill., as the Fire knocked the Revs out of the 2008 postseason in similar fashion. Remarkably, it was the fifth straight year the teams met in the playoffs.

Some of the faces have changed throughout the years (with Cuauhtemoc Blanco the most notable player no longer wearing the Fire’s red jersey), but the rivalry remains, and you can be sure tensions will be high on Sunday night, especially considering the possibility of the Revolution (3-7-2, 11 pts.) pulling even with Chicago (3-3-5, 14 pts.) with a victory despite the club’s early-season struggles.

WEATHER

Early forecasts called for the possibility of rain overnight here in the Foxborough area, but the precipitation cleared by early morning and it should be relatively clear into the afternoon. There is a slight possibility of some passing thunderstorms in the late afternoon, but even if there is a bit of precipitation it should clear out by early evening and we’re looking very, very good for our 7 p.m. kickoff.

We’re looking at temperatures in the mid to lower 70s throughout the game under partly cloudy skies, which should make for a very comfortable atmosphere at Gillette Stadium. Perhaps the field will be a bit slick if we get some precipitation in the afternoon, but that hasn’t seemed to be an issue when it’s happened early in the season. All things considered, it doesn’t look like weather will play a factor in the on-field performance on Sunday night.

INJURY REPORT

Chicago Fire
OUT: Calen Carr (R quad strain), John Thorrington (L quad strain)

There are just two names on the Fire’s injury report entering Sunday night’s match, and neither of them are a surprise - in fact, neither player missing for Chicago has played a single minute this season.

John Thorrington is the most notable name on the Fire’s injured list, as he’s missed the entire season to this point with a torn muscle in his left quad. Revs fans will remember Thorrington for scoring the series-tying goal in last year’s Eastern Conference Semifinals, setting the stage for Blanco’s dramatic late deciding  strike. With that said, the Revolution won’t be too disappointed that the hard-working midfielder won’t be available on Sunday night.

Also missing will be Calen Carr, who has a right quad injury.

New England Revolution
OUT: Darrius Barnes (R foot sprain), Preston Burpo (R leg fracture), Edgaras Jankauskas (L adductor strain), Steve Ralston (L elbow dislocation), Khano Smith (R ankle sprain), Taylor Twellman (concussion)
QUESTIONABLE: Pat Phelan (head)
PROBABLE: Kevin Alston (lower back strain), Mike Videira (L ankle sprain)

With nine names on the injury report, the Revs aren’t quite as healthy as they’d like to have been after taking three weeks off from league play, but there is a bit of good news on the injury front.

After making his 2010 debut with a 45-minute performance against Cruzeiro on June 13, goalkeeper Matt Reis is expected to make his first league start of the season on Sunday night after recovering from offseason shoulder and knee surgeries. Reis hasn’t started an MLS match since the Revs were knocked out of the playoffs by the Fire last season, but he’s expected to be back in action tonight.

Listed as “Probable” are Kevin Alston (lower back strain) and Mike Videira (L ankle sprain), both of whom were involved with training throughout the week and I’d expect both of them to be available against Chicago.

Central midfielder Pat Phelan - a likely candidate to fill in for the suspended Joseph Niouky if healthy - is listed as “Questionable” after suffering a knock to the head in training on Friday, so it’s unknown whether he’ll play any part in Sunday night’s game.

Of the six players listed as “Out” for the Revs, the most notable news this week was that Taylor Twellman (concussion) has suffered a setback in his attempt to return from the head injury he suffered almost two years ago, and he has since been placed on the season-ending injury list. He’ll join Preston Burpo (R leg fracture) on season-ending IR for the rest of the year, although in related news we have heard rumblings that Burpo will be at the game tonight to cheer on his teammates, so keep an eye out for him.

Steve Ralston (L elbow dislocation) and Khano Smith (R ankle sprain) will be unavailable after suffering injuries in that friendly against Cruzeiro, while Edgaras Jankauskas (L adductor strain) picked up a knock in training recently and is still recovering.

Finally, Darrius Barnes (R foot sprain) is making strides in his quest to return from the injury he suffered in Columbus in early May, as he’s begun to jog and work on a bit of passing at training.

STORYLINE

Head coach Steve Nicol summed up what he thought the keys to tonight’s match were in one very, very succinct statement: “As always, it’s passing and controlling the ball. If we do those things, then we’re good. If we don’t, then we’re not as good.”

Captain Shalrie Joseph echoed those sentiments, lamenting the Revolution’s recent inability to maintain possession. With Ralston injured, Niouky suspended and Phelan possibly joining Ralston on the sideline with an injury, the bulk of the responsibility will fall to Joseph and his partner in central midfield, possibly Chris Tierney.

This is an absolutely critical match for the Revs in terms of setting the tone for the rest of the season, and Nicol and the players essentially admitted as much this week in training. After a frustrating start, the Revolution was given a lifeline with the recent World Cup break and the chance to regroup. Now, they must take the pressure to their opponents on Sunday night and claim a massive three points as they look to turn the season around. It’s safe to say that an ability to maintain possession will determine whether the Revs can take down the Fire.