Revolution Battle for Draw

Fall 2-0 But Score Twice to Earn Point

October 5, 2008

By Sean Donahue

The New England Revolution got off to another slow start at home, going down 2-0 in the 73rd minute and giving the 18,893 fans at Gillette Stadium the feeling that the club was again squandering a chance to solidify its grip on second place.

But then the Revs scored twice in quick succession to salvage a point in a 2-2 draw with Real Salt Lake Saturday night.

After falling behind in just the 14th minute, the Revs rarely threatened to score and Salt Lake seemed to be working hard to defend their one goal lead. When RSL took a two goal lead late in the match, the home team's offense seemed to come alive and goals by Steve Ralston and Taylor Twellman gave the Revs a draw as the team moved to 12-8-7 on the season.

Khano Smith shields the ball from a defender in Saturday's draw. (CHRIS ADUAMA/aduama.com)

"At two-nil, it was absolutely a point gained," said Revolution coach Steve Nicol. "The goals we gave away were horrendous. We can't give goals away like that. We tried to pass it and we tried to do the right things, but we were just off. We tried to do the right things, but the pass was just a half-yard short, or a yard too far in front or behind. We just weren't quite at it. But you see the character of the team, though. Two-nil down at home, 20 minutes to go, and they don't give up. We end up with a point and nearly steal it. So we can't be too disappointed from being two-nil down."

Yura Movsisyan had the first chance of the match in the 4th minute when he received the ball at the top of the box and used a cut back move to make space for a shot. Movsisyan, still outside the box, unleashed a powerful shot towards the far corner, but Revs' goalkeeper Matt Reis managed to tip it over the bar with a diving save.

Salt Lake took the lead in the 14th minute, when Reis came outside the box to head out a long ball from Robbie Russell. Reis' header fell to Javier Morales, who launched a shot on frame. Michael Parkhurst, positioned on the line attempted to head the ball, but couldn't reach it as Morales' shot found the back of the net.

"It's very frustrating and disappointing that we are starting so slow, especially in front of our home crowd," said Shalrie Joseph. "But we showed a lot of character and will tonight coming back from 2-0 to get a point, but at the end of the day we know we still got three more games left before the playoffs start and we want to get into our position early. We've got to get our three points wherever it is next time on the road and just look forward to the next game."

The Revs had a great chance in the 54th minute when Khano Smith made a great run on the left flank and cut inside the box, beating three men. Smith sent in a low cross towards the near post, where Twellman was running in, but couldn't redirect it on frame, instead earning a corner kick.

Salt Lake managed to double their lead in the 73rd minute when Morales found a onrushing Andy Williams wide open on the right side of the box. Williams unleashed a powerful volley into the upper left corner to make it 2-0.

Just a minute after that it was substitute Robbie Findley who nearly made it 3-0, when he cut back around Parkhurst and hit a left foot shot targeted toward the far post. Reis just managed to get enough of it to tip it off the post for a corner kick.

Steve Ralston pulled one back for the Revs in the 77th. Smith made a run down the left flank before sending a cross into the box. The cross was sent out by a Salt Lake defender, but fell right to Ralston at the top of the box, where he one-timed a shot into the far post. The goal was Ralston's 8th of the season, a new career high.

"It was a lucky bounce," said Ralston. "Khano crossed it and the bounce just set up right to me. It was pretty fortunate because there were a lot of guys in the box, but it just snuck through there. I think it might have taken a deflection, but I'll take it though."

Twellman tied it up with his seventh goal of the season less than three minutes later when he picked up the ball at the top of the box. Twellman then cut around three defenders and hit a powerful low shot just inside the post, that 'keeper Nick Rimando couldn't get a hand to.

"This team is resilient and we fought through a lot, but we've got to figure it out," said Twellman. "We are giving up way too many chances and from an offensive standpoint we aren't creating anything. I think that was the first shot for me. We've just got to figure it out quickly."

Reis came up huge in the 84th minute when Kenny Deuchar, who had just entered the match, got on the end of a long pass and went alone in on goal. Deuchar unleashed a shot, but Reis had come off his line and managed to keep it out with a kick save.

Deuchar had a another great chance in the 88th minute when he got free in on goal and sent a shot in towards the near post. This time Deuchar beat Reis, but his shot rolled just wide of the net.

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