Taylor Made

NEW YORK (Wednesday, May 29, 2002) - The New England Revolution underwent a drastic overhaul in team personnel at the end of last week, as three starters were traded away and a new head coach was installed. The upheaval brought about a solid, hard-fought 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy on Saturday, ending an ugly two-game stretch in which the team suffered two straight losses while conceding eight goals. Despite the wholesale changes, some things remained the same - like the goal-scoring pace of first-year MLS forward Taylor Twellman.

The native of St. Louis, Missouri started his sixth consecutive game on Saturday, maintaining his impressive streak of scoring in every one of them. Twellman is now up to seven goals on the season, good for second best in MLS behind Los Angeles' Carlos Ruiz (8), and he is also just one game shy of tying the League record seven-game goal-scoring streak shared by Raul Diaz Arce (1997 - D.C. United) and Wolde Harris (2000 - Revolution).

Twellman was not expected to see too much playing time this season. Although he was the second overall selection in the 2002 SuperDraft, the Revolution's already had proven acquisitions Mamadou Diallo (MLS Budweiser Scoring Champion in 2000) and Alex Pineda Chacon (Budweiser Scoring Champion in 2001) were sure to be the attacking leaders. But after being upstaged by Twellman, Diallo has since been traded while Pineda Chacon has yet to find his form . In the meantime New England has gone 3-2-1 in Twellman's six starts, after losing two straight to start the season.

It was speculated that teaming up with the feared Diallo up top would lead to more space for Twellman but the youngster's recent clip has now made him a marked man. However, his opportunism is no longer in doubt, every goal for the 22-year-old has been hard earned. Among his seven tallies this campaign: he scored on two headers after emerging from a crowd of players in the penalty area, he scored his first MLS goal against the Columbus Crew with his back to goal and a defender at his feet, he netted another last Wednesday on a spectacular volley which he snuck between goalkeeper and the near post. If penalty kicks were taken out of the equation, Twellman would be alone atop of the MLS goal scoring charts (Ruiz has converted on two spot kicks).

"He took every chance we gave him," said former Revolution Head Coach Fernando Clavijo earlier in the season of the player he stated he would take over Landon Donovan (San Jose Earthquakes). "Taylor is a typical goal scorer - he just goes for the ball. He's a true professional, and I don't think we've seen anything yet from him."

Whether it's via the header (two goals), his left foot (two goals), his right foot (two goals), or just plain determination (his challenge forced an error from Matt Jordan) the former University of Maryland star has shown he can score in a variety of ways. Add to that Twellman's stellar work rate and it becomes easy to understand why the Revolution were so high on the player who started his professional career in the German Bundesliga with 1860 Munich.
"Every game is an opportunity for me to prove to the coaches that I can play," Twellman said earlier this season. "I'm going to run until my legs tell me to stop, and hopefully I can keep running."

At the rate which young American soccer players are leaving their mark on the domestic and international game, it may be easy to overlook the fact that Twellman was also one of the youngest players ever to capture Player of the Week honors (Week 8). Revolution fans will surely keep watching. With one more goal, Twellman will be one of just eight players in the club's seven-year history to register eight or more goals in a season.

While some of America's best players may grab most of the limelight with the U.S. World Cup team in Korea, one of the country's newest stars continues to establish himself as a future candidate for the U.S. National Team following the World Cup. Although the arrival of the prolific Diego Serna to New England may further deflect some more attention away from Twellman, a new MLS record would certainly set things straight and possibly compel the MLS Strike Force to make way for a new member.

THE WORLD CUP BEGINS FRIDAY

The World Cup train is picking up speed as the competition finally gets underway on Friday, May 31 at 7:25 a.m. on ESPN2. The story lines kick off in that opening match which will see defending World Cup champion France take on the dangerous Senegal in the first Group A game. France's midfield maestro, Zinedine Zidane - considered by some to be the best player in the world, will be lost in that match due to an injured thigh. The Senegalese will hope to take advantage of Zidane's absence and upset the country which serves as the club home to the majority of its players.

Aside from the intrigue surrounding the opening match, there is also the Republic of Ireland's banishment of captain Roy Keane, the expected return of David Beckham in the England camp, the war for a starting spot between Gabriel Batistuta and Hernan Crespo of Argentina and the goalkeeping decision that U.S. Head Coach Bruce Arena has to make for the American team between Kasey Keller and Brad Friedel.

Follow all the major stories of this World Cup, in-depth analysis of the U.S. Group D opponents, expert commentary from ABC/ESPN and ESPN2 TV analysts and updates on the U.S. team … all on MLSnet.com's World Cup Connection.

POLAND: The Polish National Team is experiencing an apparent dip in form which team officials are attributing to the acclimatization process, while maintaining the team will be rearing to go by June 4 in its Group D opener against South Korea. The team earned a 2-1 victory against Korean club team Sungnam Ilhwa and another goal by forward Maciej Zurawski may be enough to earn a starting spot alongside an uninspired Emmanuel Olisadebe. Head Coach Jerzy Engel has also openly criticized his defense for being lax and the team has still not resolved its issues with the right midfield slot which was vacated when Bartosz Karwan was lost due to injury a little over a week ago. Engel continues to try natural left-sided players in the position, most recently playing Marek Kozminski in the role to no apparent success.

On a more controversial note, the wire reports carried a declaration by Polish Soccer Federation president Michal Listkiewicz that Poland "will defeat the U.S. 1-0 or 2-1," a statement which is sure to have made its way to the U.S. camp in Seoul, South Korea.

PORTUGAL: The Group D favorites received a positive boost over the weekend in a 2-0 exhibition victory against China. Not only did former starter and goalkeeping legend Vitor Baia return to top form, but injury-plagued playmaker Rui Costa started and even World Player of the Year Figo saw playing time. The main worry of Figo missing the first match seems to have vanished, as he has stated publicly that he will be ready for the June 5 match against the U.S. The fact that forwards Nuno Gomes and Pedro Pauleta scored in the match will not take away Head Coach Antonio Oliveira's headache of his forward alignment. While he prefers to go with one striker up top, public opinion strongly leans toward a two-forward setup.

KOREA: The South Koreans are building a dangerous momentum entering Group D competition. After a 4-1 victory over Scotland, a 1-1 tie with England and last Sunday's 3-2 loss on a last minute goal to World Cup champion France, the co-hosts are believing they can make the second round for the first time in the nation's history. Guus Hiddink was criticized for arranging matches against tough competition, creating an opportunity for the much-maligned Korean confidence to be shot by potential losses. The results had the opposite effect, proving that the team's speed, hard-working mentality and appreciable technical ability could be a tough obstacle for opponent's to overcome. Midfielder Park Sung-ji has emerged as the player to watch after scoring both against England and France. The 21-year-old's creative play and defensive work have become an important part of Korea's game.

CHANGE IS GOOD FOR METROSTARS AND REVOLUTION

Friday's blockbuster six-player trade between New England and the MetroStars paid immediate dividends for both clubs on Saturday night. All six players involved in the trade, the largest in League history, saw minutes for their new clubs less than 24 hours after the deal went down. Four of the six would eventual figure in the scoring summaries Saturday.

Dealt to the MetroStars were Mamadou Diallo, Andy Williams and Ted Chronopoulos, while New England received Diego Serna, Daniel Hernandez and Brian Kamler. Diallo, Williams, Hernandez and Kamler all started for their new clubs, while Serna and Chronopoulos made appearances as second half substitutions.

Diallo and Williams sparked what had been a struggling MetroStars attack, as the two combined with veteran Tab Ramos to score the equalizer in a 1-1 draw with Kansas City. A quick combination between the two wily midfielders helped Diallo isolate himself in the penalty area, where he easily tucked home a through ball from Ramos. Williams was active for most of the evening as he and Ramos proved difficult to contain. The diminutive Jamaican fired off nearly a third (7) of the club's 22 shots, while Diallo put two of his three efforts on goal. Inserted for left back Birahim Diop at halftime, Chronopoulos helped contain Wizards right flanker Chris Klein, who put the Wizards up 1-0 in the 10th minute.

"The first time I came to the field the fans booed me," Diallo said to the Daily News after receiving a less than welcoming reception from the Empire Supporters Club. "I was very disappointed. After I scored, I kissed my jersey to show I loved the team and I loved New York very much."

At CMGi Field in Foxboro, Hernandez returned to central defense and helped stabilize a Revolution backline that had allowed eight goals in its previous two matches. He also contributed by earning an assist when his 51st minute free kick was finished by teammate Steve Ralston. Not to be outdone, Serna replaced Wolde Harris in the 64th minute and promptly combined with former Miami Fusion teammate Jim Rooney to score the eventual game winner. After only 12 minutes after his insertion, Serna clinically finished a give-and-go with Rooney to give the Revs a 3-1 lead.

"I don't know what the problem was,'' said Hernandez in the Boston Herald, as the Revs snapped a two-game losing streak. "The team looked fine to me. I really think it's one of the best performances I've seen any team play in the league this season."

RAPIDS MAKE THE CUT, FINAL OPEN CUP BERTH UP FOR GRABS

After San Jose, Los Angeles, Chicago, Columbus, Dallas and the MetroStars were awarded the first six MLS berths in the 2002 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup (top six finishers in 2001), Colorado, Kansas City, D.C. United and New England were left to pursue the remaining two slots allocated for MLS clubs. The two berths will belong to the clubs with the highest points per game average as of games completed by June 2.

Currently with 16 points in nine matches (1.78 pts/game), the Rapids have secured the first remaining berth because the club can finish this weekend's action with an average points per game rating of no lower than 1.6, a total that exceeds the highest potential average of New England, D.C. or Kansas City.

Of the three remaining teams, only the Revolution control their own destiny, although scenarios exist that would allow either Kansas City or D.C. United to claim the final position should New England falter at home against San Jose on Saturday.

By chance, New England, Kansas City and D.C. United will all finish the weekend with nine matches played, leaving open the possibility that all three clubs could finish with identical points per game averages of 1.11 (10 points / 9 games) by the June 2 deadline. Should this occur, standard MLS tiebreaking procedures will determine the recipient of the last MLS berth in the Open Cup. Because the First Tiebreaker (head-to-head competition) can not be applied equally to all three clubs (only D.C. United and Kansas City have played in 2002), goal differential will be the determining factor should a three-way tie occur. Additionally, because all three teams concerned in the process will finish the period with nine games played, straight goal differential (not a per game average) can be used to break the deadlock.

The scenarios remaining are:

A) New England will claim the last spot (via points/game) with a win against San Jose regardless of Kansas City's result at home against Dallas.

B) New England will claim the last spot (via points/game) with a draw if Kansas City does not win.

C) Kansas City will claim the final berth with a win (via points/game) if New England loses or draws.

D) Kansas City will claim the final berth with a draw (via goal differential) if NE loses to SJ. (all three clubs = 9gms, 10 pts)

- A draw would keep Kansas City's goal differential at -1
- NE would have a goal differential worse than -3
- DC's current goal differential remains (-3)

E) D.C. United (idle) will claim the final berth (via goal differential) if both New England and Kansas City lose.

- DC United goal differential = -3
- A loss will make NE's goal differential worse than -3
- KC will fail to reach 10 points

MLS Tiebreaking Procedures
* In the event of a three-way tie (or an inequity in matches played), a per game average will be applied to all of the criteria whenever possible until a winner is determined.

1. Head-to-Head (against teams equal in points)
2. Goal Differential
3. Total goals
4. Road results (#1 above; if still tied, #2 above; and so on through #4 above)
5. Home results (#1 above; if still tied, #2 above; and so on through #4 above)
6. Fewest disciplinary points
7. Coin toss

WIZARDS' DARIO FABBRO APPRECIATES LAND OF OPPORTUNITY

There is no player happier to be in MLS in 2002 than Kansas City Wizards forward Dario Fabbro. The 25-year-old was a member of prominent first division teams in South America including Huracan (Argentina) and Emelec (Ecuador). However, the economic difficulties of many of the clubs in the region meant that Fabbro and his family were not seeing a weekly paycheck.

"I had several options that I was analyzing before signing with MLS," he said. "But the thing is that the first division teams in Argentina that I was looking at were struggling to avoid relegation. With the current economic situation, the offers were not so attractive. I didn't feel that strongly about them."

When Fabbro's agent contacted the Kansas City Wizards and arranged a five-day trial while the club was in preseason training in Argentina, Fabbro was hoping he'd impressed enough to get the call from Head Coach Bob Gansler.

"I know from word of mouth that MLS is a very serious league and has a very serious reputation," Fabbro said. "It also provides an opportunity to live in the United States. The possibility of bringing my two-year-old son here to the U.S. to live in one of the best countries in the world is a great opportunity on a personal level."

Fabbro grew up in the Boca Juniors youth system beginning as a 10-year-old. He then moved to Huracan's youth team and made the breakthrough on the senior squad. After eight years he started a series of brief stints on loan to overseas clubs. First it was superpower Barcelona in Spain, for which he played on the reserve team. Then it was Concepcion in Chile, back to Huracan, and then to Emelec in Ecuador.

In the years that he was under contract with Huracan, the club owed Fabbro a significant amount of money. With no funds to dip into, however, the club could do nothing but give Fabbro his "player pass" (his own playing rights) at no cost.

"The managers of Huracan are willing to pay but the situation is that the club just doesn't have the money," said Fabbro, who is still pursuing the team for backpay. "So it's not a matter of willingness. It's a matter of money. The way to settle the big debt Huracan had with me was for them to give me my transfer fee back. That allowed me to negotiate with Emelec and give them my "pass" on a free transfer for a year and a half. But those were some tough days in Ecuador."

The situation in fact did not get better with Emelec and he eventually had to terminate the agreement he struck with the club because it, too, could not pay him the money he was due.

"The crisis has been felt not only in Argentina but in all Latin American countries," he said. "It's very hard to find a team which pays you on time and pays you the amount you've signed for. I have a family and I could not continue accumulating debt. I am a professional soccer player and I actually have to play for money. But this is not a problem that is restricted to Argentina."

Fabbro is not new to MLS, having followed the League on the ESPN networks in South America. He was already familiar with his new teammates Preki, Peter Vermes and Tony Meola before he began working out with the Wizards during the preseason.

Fabbro dreams of someday bringing his brothers to MLS, too. Jonathan Fabbro plays professionally for Boca Juniors while another 22-year-old brother plays for second division side San Miguel.

"When he heard the news that I was joining the Wizards, Jonathan suggested that I should stick with Boca while he takes my place in MLS," Fabbro said. "We're struggling through some tough times in Argentina and it's a great opportunity from a personal and economic level."

The self-described humble, quiet, hard-working man promised those same qualities on the field and so far he has delivered in his first two matches with a lot of defensive backtracking.

"Fans will see a player who will fight for every single ball," Fabbro said. "This opportunity comes at the right age for me. I'm mature enough and I have a great willingness to have a fine career in MLS. I feel like I'm a rookie all over again."

FIRE AND MORELIA SET FC CHAMPIONS CUP DATES

The Chicago Fire will resume FC Champions Cup action next month after announcing the first leg of the quarterfinal series with Mexican club Monarcas del Atletico Morelia will take place on June 30 (5:00 p.m. ET) at Morelos Stadium in Michoacan, Mexico. Morelia, the 2000 Mexican League Champion (Torneo de Invierno) will then travel to Cardinal Stadium in Naperville, IL on July 10 at 8:30 p.m. (ET) for the second leg of the tournament.

The Fire advanced to the quarterfinals on March 20 with a 3-0 aggregate win against CSD Municipal of Guatemala at Cardinal Stadium.

The Chicago Fire will look to advance to the Champions Cup semifinals for the second time in its five-year history. The "Men in Red" participated in the tournament in 1999 but lost on penalty kicks to LD Alajuelense (Costa Rica) in the semifinal stage after a quarterfinal victory against Joe Public (Trinidad and Tobago).

The "Monarchs" advanced to the quarterfinals on March 20 by defeating Costa Rica's Saprissa 2-1 on aggregate. The team, which boasts Mexican internationals Carlos Adrian Morales and Jose Antonio Noriega, will come to Chicago after an impressive 2002 season. Morelia advanced to the quarterfinals of this year's Copa Libertadores but lost to Mexican powerhouse America 4-2 on aggregate on March 16 at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. Ruben Homar Romano's team also appeared in the 2002 Mexican League playoffs but lost to Pumas in the quarterfinals.

The winner of the matchup between the "Men in Red" and Morelia will advance to the semifinal stage and face the Kansas City Wizards, which advanced to the semifinals after sending Santos Laguna of Mexico out of the tournament.

MLS TEAMS HAVE RESPONDED TO EARLY COACHING CHANGES

Former U.S. International Fernando Clavijo was relieved of his coaching duties on May 23, the day after his New England Revolution fell to the Colorado Rapids 5-2. Clavijo's dismissal makes him the sixth MLS coach to have been replaced within the first ten games of a team's season. However, Clavijo is not the earliest of the dismissals as Ron Newman left his position as coach of the Kansas City Wizards on April 14, 1999 after a 0-4 start to the campaign.

Historically MLS teams have performed well following early changes in leadership. These six teams combined to went go 4-2 in games following the coaching changes. All-time, teams with mid-season coaching changes have combined to post a 12-5 record in matches immediately after the switch, which includes the Revolution's 3-2 win against the Galaxy under interim Head Coach Steve Nicol.

MLS TEAMS SET MORE INTERNATIONAL DATES

The Los Angeles Galaxy return to international action this week against El Salvador's CD Aguila on Wednesday night at the Rose Bowl (10:30 p.m. ET). Aguila, one of El Salvador's most popular teams, won the Torneo Clausura regular season, but fell in the playoff semifinals to eventual champions CD FAS. This will be the Galaxy's second match against a Salvadoran club, having beaten Luis Angel Firpo 2-0 in the quarterfinals of the 1997 CONCACAF Champions Cup at RFK Stadium. Los Angeles is 19-8-10 all-time in international matches.

Featured players on the squad include El Salvador National Team midfielder Alexander Amaya del Cid and the team's top goal producer (with 16), Mauro Nunez Bastos, from Brazil. Aguila promoted to the first division in 1959 and won their first championship that same inaugural season. They have accumulated ten national titles, as well as two championships in 'Torneo Apertura' and one in 'Torneo Clausura', the most recent in 2001.

AN OVERVIEW OF RECENT AND UPCOMING INTERNATIONAL MATCHES INVOLVING MLS TEAMS AND PLAYERS:

Wednesday, May 15, 2002
Columbus Crew 7 - FC Nurnberg (Germany) 2 Crew Stadium - Columbus, OH

Thursday, May 16, 2002
MetroStars 1 - AC Milan (Italy) 1 Giants Stadium - East Rutherford, NJ

Wednesday, May 29, 2002
Los Angeles Galaxy vs. CD Aguila (El Salvador) - 10:30 p.m. (ET) Rose Bowl - Pasadena, CA

Sunday, June 23, 2002
D.C. United vs. Boca Juniors (Argentina) - 4:00 p.m. (ET) RFK Stadium - Washington, D.C.

Wednesday, June 26, 2002
Columbus Crew vs. Club Tigres (Mexico) - 7:30 p.m. (ET) Crew Stadium - Columbus, OH
Los Angeles Galaxy vs. River Plate (Argentina) - 10:30 p.m. (ET) Rose Bowl - Pasadena, CA

Wednesday, August 4, 2002
MetroStars vs. Chivas de Guadalajara (Mexico) - 8:00 p.m. (ET) Giants Stadium - East Rutherford, NJ

MLS QUOTES OF THE WEEK

"I never thought they would do me like this -- never. Those were two people I've looked up to. I've busted my (butt) for them. On the field, I've always given them everything. I had that loyalty. And this is how they repay me" - New England Revolution midfielder Daniel Hernandez on MetroStars management (from the Newark Star-Ledger)

"I'm very happy to be playing for the MetroStars. It's a team that wants to win. They have so many players with strong character. They don't want a 'good loss,' and I don't want a loss." MetroStars forward Mamadou Diallo on joining the MetroStars - (from the New York Post)

"The first time I came to the field the fans booed me. I was very disappointed. After I scored, I kissed my jersey to show I loved the team and I loved New York very much. After that I was very happy." - Diallo on scoring his first goal as a MetroStar - (from the New York Daily News)

"My grudge with Diallo was 100 percent genuine. But . . . I'm glad he's my teammate. First thing I'm gonna do is extend my hand and welcome him: He's my teammate. He's a pain to play against; I hope he's going to do to opposing defenders what he's done to us." - MetroStars defender Mike Petke on newly acquired teammate Mamadou Diallo - (from the New York Post)

''We needed to shake things up. It wasn't really happening. Sometimes, some people are in the wrong place at the wrong time, and Mamadou was the biggest one. You always hope things will change, but rather than let things linger, we wanted to make a move." - Newly appointed New England head coach Steve Nicol on the recent Revolution-MetroStars trade - (from the Boston Globe)

"The fan in New York demands a high level of play. It's funny, they are tough on their own players. A guy kicks the ball out of bounds, they are booing him. You are definitely focused when you play in New York." - Current Kansas City Wizards and former MetroStars defender Peter Vermes on fans in New York - (from the Kansas City Star)

"I've been around so long, people ask my opinions on soccer. I think I'm entitled to my opinion because I've worked hard to get where I am. I've got an opinion on how soccer should be run, but I don't have all the answers.'' - Columbus Crew midfielder John Harkes on his opinions and answers for soccer - (from the Columbus Dispatch)

"So they've got four guys. Look how old and crusty they are. They have a combined age of 200. Two are in wheelchairs and two are on crutches.'' Crew defender Duncan Oughton, a Cal State - Fullerton graduate, on the ratio of Indiana University alums to Fullerton gradates in last weekend's match with the Dallas Burn - (from the Columbus Dispatch)

"The guy fouled me on the play and I kind of kicked him, not badly. There was no way I should have been red carded. It was very disappointing to see a referee give me a red card for that." Kansas City Wizards midfielder Preki on earning a red card in a 1-1 tie with the MetroStars. - (from the Kansas City Star)