Defender on the ball for Revs
Woodberry’s 1st goal gets mates’ attention
FOXBORO — It’s not quite on the level of FIFA’s Ballon d’Or, presented annually to the world’s best soccer player, but let’s face it, you have to start somewhere.
So, after scoring his first career MLS goal in a recent road victory at Vancouver, Revolution defender London Woodberry was presented the game ball, autographed by his proud teammates. Coincidentally, Woodberry received the well-deserved souvenir at precisely the same time he was receiving a liter of fluids after showing signs of dehydration relating to the previous game, a 1-0 victory over the Carolina RailHawks in the U.S. Open Cup.
“Yeah, I had a little heat exhaustion and heat hydration after the Open Cup game and just for precautionary measures we did a little liter of liquid before the Vancouver game, so I got that in. Somebody saw my (intravenous) bag and said, ‘Hey, we’ll get everyone to sign that, too,’ ’’ Woodberry said with a grin. “It’s kind of cool. I think I might be the first one with a ball and an IV bag.
“Obviously, it’s a good memory that I will have forever. I got in a good spot and a good position to get above my defender and put it into the back of the net,’’ said Woodberry, who was on the receiving end of a perfectly executed free kick by midfielder Lee Nguyen in the 31st minute. “There was a bunch of excitement. All the guys were happy for me. Hopefully, I can score a few more before the year is over.”
His Revs teammates would enjoy seeing that.
“Yeah, he’s been a huge part of what we’re doing. I think the thing about London is he can play right back, he can play center back and both of them at a really high level,’’ said wily veteran Chris Tierney. “To have that much flexibility and versatility is really important. He’s an athletic guy. He’s good in the air and he’s a good one-on-one defender. We’re lucky to have him. I think the thing about him is he continues to improve and he gets better every time he plays, which is the exciting part.
“He’s played a lot of games and he’s come close to scoring. I’m surprised that he hasn’t. I remember he hit the post in Orlando last year so he’s come close a few times. It was something for all the guys to be happy about to see him finally get one.”
Tierney said the players were genuinely happy for Woodberry, whose goal came off a header and staked the Revs to a 1-0 lead en route to their 2-1 victory over the Whitecaps FC last Saturday.
“I’m usually the guy who makes the far post run and try to seal off the back post and luckily the ball came deep enough and not too far and it was good height for me to where I could get my head on it,” the 6-foot-1 Woodberry said.
With his role on the team growing and being a constant in the starting XI, Woodberry is finding a new comfort zone and looks to continue on that path tomorrow when the Revs visit D.C. United for a 7 p.m. game at RFK Stadium.
“I kind of think of myself, I’m 25 now, so I want to have a bigger impact and be a leader. Obviously, I still have a lot to learn but I want to contribute in as many ways as I can,” he said.
Revs coach Jay Heaps has never hesitated inserting Woodberry, a former Homegrown player of FC Dallas, into the lineup. The Revs acquired the former University of Maryland standout in March 2014 after he was waived.
“London has been excellent since we’ve gotten him. We use him at a couple of different positions,’’ Heaps said. “But I like how he’s settled into that center back role. He was very good (recently) against Seattle, very good against Carolina, and excellent, again, in Vancouver. He’s a smart player so he reads the game well and I think that’s important. . . . We’ve asked a lot in him because we want to see him develop a little bit more as a center back. Hi s awareness in the game, and his athletic ability to defend and also his ability to read the game defensively, that’s really been the idea why we push him more centrally.”