Another Win or We're Done

The Wizards continue their win or go home schedule, after their win over Chicago on Tuesday night kept KC alive, tomorrow in New England when they take on the Revolution. The Revolution, already eliminated from the playoffs, will be looking to play spoiler, but will be without a few of their starting players. Kevin Alston and Matt Reis are set to miss the game with injury, while Corey Gibbs and Pat Phelan are both suspended for the game due to yellow card accumulation. Those are certainly absences that could play a big role for KC in a stadium where they have played well since it opened (7-1-6 at Gillette since it opened).

KC has to win this game, as with Tuesday, a loss or a draw eliminates the Wizards from the playoffs. The good news for the Wizards, as I stated above, is that Gillette has been a good place for the Wizards to play. But New England is not a team to overlook and certainly will be looking to take the game to KC. Obviously Steve Nicol is unlikely to also play the 3-5-2 that saw New England dismantled in KC earlier this season. Ryan Smith is still a question mark due to his trip to England earlier this week for personal reasons. With that in mind I think Peter Vermes will go with the same 11 that defeated Chicago during the week.

Nielsen
Harrington - Conrad - Besler - Espinoza
Arnaud - Auvray - Rocastle
Kamara - Bunbury - Wolff

Key Match Up - Craig Rocastle vs Sharlie Joseph - Joseph has been one of the best midfielders in the league the past few years, it'll be a really interesting match up to watch him go up against the physical Rocastle. In the game earlier this season Rocastle and Auvray were really able to keep Joseph from having much of a difference in the game.

PREDICTION - Again this is a MUST win, and there's no way around this, you lose or draw you're done. You win, you go back to the locker room and start cheering for LA to clinch the Supporters' Shield by defeating Colorado and you set up a very interesting final week of the season. We'll see what happens, but lately while I've liked the way we've played I still have questions and just don't feel like we'll win all 3 of these remaining games.

KC - 1 (Bunbury)
NE - 1 (Stolica)