Reis Keeps Revs Afloat

Thanks to 'Keeper, Club Holds on for Win

June 7, 2008

By Sean Donahue

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. � Adam Cristman and Steve Ralston gave New England an early two-goal lead and Matt Reis kept the Revs afloat during a second half onslaught from FC Dallas to help the home team escape with a 2-1 victory Friday night.

The win makes the Revs the first team in MLS to get to seven wins and extends their unbeaten streak to five games. The crowd at the start of the match was sparse. Most arrived late, a little closer to the start time of the second match of the doubleheader, Brazil against Venezuela, a contest Venezuela won, 2-0.

Cristman gave the Revs the lead in just the fifth minute with a diving header. The Revolution striker was well set-up by Sainey Nyassi, who beat Bobby Rhine on the right flank and sent in a good cross to the far post. Cristman was well positioned there to score his third goal of the season.

Matt Reis looks up after he punches a ball away Friday. (Photo credit: Joyce Furia).

Rhine almost redeemed himself in the eighth minute after the Revs failed to clear the ball. The ball fell to Rhine on the left side of the box, who turned and shot towards the far post, but saw his shot come back off the crossbar after beating Reis. The rebound fell to Dominic Oduro, who played it to Kenny Cooper near the goal line. Cooper tapped it into the back of the net, but was correctly ruled offsides.

Dallas goalkeeper Ray Burse came up big in the 20th minute. Shalrie Joseph directed a Ralston corner on frame from point blank range, but Burse made an acrobatic save.

Away from the play, however, Drew Moor elbowed Jeff Larentowicz in the face. After consulting with the assistant referee, Michael Kennedy pointed to the spot, awarding the Revs a penalty kick and showing Moor a yellow card. Ralston stepped up to take the free kick, sending Burse the wrong way and slotting it inside the right post.

Just over a minute into the second half the Revs had an opportunity to put the game out of reach when Nyassi was taken down by Rhine outside the box. Ralston took the free kick, sending it into the box, where Larentowicz beat his defender to get off a diving head. His powerful shot was targeted for the lower corner, but Burse managed to tip it wide for a corner kick.

Reis had to make to saves two preserve the shutout in the 55th minute. The first came on an Andre Rocha shot from inside the box, saving the ball at the near post before Jay Heaps cleared it out. Shortly after, Oduro sent in a cross from the right flank, but it was off target and actually headed towards the far corner of the net. Reis managed to get up and punch the shot over the net.

Reis came up big again in the 63rd minute after Rhine stole the ball from Jay Heaps at the top of the box. Alone in on goal, Rhine's shot was well saved by Reis, who then got out to cover the rebound. A foul was called on Rhine in the aftermath as he shoved both Reis and Heaps.

The Revs came under pressure in the 74th minute when Cooper got off a shot about 10 yards out after beating Chris Albright. Reis kept the shot out with his foot, but the ball came to Arturo Alvarez who sent in a quick low shot across goal. Heaps slide in to get the ball out of the box and Juan Toja hammered a shot well over the net.

In the 79th minute Reis was again called on twice to keep Dallas off the scoreboard. First he made a diving save after Cooper got off a free shot in the box and Heaps cleared the rebound the goal line on the corner. Duilio Davino got on the end of the corner and directed a header low towards the near post. Reis again managed to make an acrobatic save and push the shot away.

Cooper had another shot with a diving header from the top of the six yard box in the 85th minute, but again Reis was in position for his ninth save of the match. Just a minute later he had his 10th save on the match as Juan Toja got into the box and put a shot towards the near post only to see Reis there to make the save.

In the 91st minute Reis was finally beaten when Alvarez tapped in a lofted Oduro cross for his third goal of the season.

Cristman had a chance two minutes later when Dube got the ball at the top of the box and drew three defenders. Dube sent the ball to Cristman on his right, but the unmarked striker's weak shot was saved by Burse.

A minute later Cristman controlled a corner kick with his arm, but the Revs were fortunate not to have a penalty called against them and escaped the match with a 2-1 win.

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