Revolution Draw with Galaxy

Twellman, Joseph Match Donovan's Pair

August 31, 2008

By Sean Donahue

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- A depleted New England Revolution squad played to an entertaining 2-2 draw against a well rested Los Angeles Galaxy in front of nearly 40,000 at Gillette Stadium Saturday night.

Taylor Twellman scored his 96th career MLS regular season goal to give the Revs an early lead, but the Galaxy drew level through Landon Donovan 12 minutes later. Donovan then gave the visitors a 2-1 lead 10 minutes after half time before Shalrie Joseph equalized in the 75th minute. The draw, combined with the Columbus Crew's 2-1 victory in Dallas, means the Crew now sit in first place in MLS, two points ahead of the Revs.

"Clearly you could see the difference with one team that's [travelled] 6,000 miles last week and one team (the Galaxy) that has been resting," said Revs’ coach Steve Nicol. "You can see the sharpness in their play that we didn't have and frankly we are never going to be able to do that with what we have been doing. We should be happy, but at the same time I think if there was a trophy for balls our team would win it hands down. The way the guys came back, there was one team hanging on at the end, which is incredible when you think of what we've been doing. We are proud of our team."

Shalrie Joseph

Shalrie Joseph (right) scored the equalizer for the Revs Saturday. (Photo credit: Joyce Furia)

Nicol had even fewer options at forward than Tuesday's Champions League match with captain Steve Ralston added to the list of injured. Nicol opted to push Joseph up top next to Twellman with Khano Smith, Pat Phelan, Jeff Larentowicz, and Wells Thompson across the midfield. Gabriel Badilla made his debut at center back next to Michael Parkhurst and Jay Heaps and Chris Albright played on the outside of a four man backline. Matt Reis made his return from injury and started in goal.

"It's absurd to think that we could have our legs after traveling the way we are," said Twellman. "We are just giving it our best shot, but it is kind of ridiculous with all the travel we are doing."

Reis came up big in the 8th minute after Edson Buddle was played free of the defense by a well placed pass from David Beckham from about 40 yards away. Buddle dribbled into the box, but couldn't chip the ball over an onrushing Reis. Reis, making his return from injury, tipped the ball up and then caught it.

Greg Vanney had the Galaxy's next chance in the 13th minute. The 32-year-old picked up the ball at the top of the box and unleashed a right-footed shot that curled just wide of the post.

Things got ugly in the 14th minute after a hard challenge between Wells Thompson and U.S. International Eddie Lewis, who was making his Galaxy debut, landed both on the turf. Lewis lashed out with a kick to Thompson, and Thompson responded with a kick of his own. Both could count themselves a bit lucky to only receive yellow cards on the play.

Twellman put the Revs on top in the 22nd minute, beating the Galaxy defense to head a Smith cross past goalkeeper Steve Cronin. Cronin, charging out to meet the ball, hit Twellman in the face after the header, and the Revs all-time leading scorer was bleeding from the collision and forced to leave the field for assistance.

"I tell him all the time it's just like Shaq," said Smith. "You just put it up in the air somewhere where he can get it and he slam it. That's all I tried to do and then he did it. That was all him, I just put it in a good area for him.”

"Give Taylor Twellman a lot of credit," said Galaxy coach Bruce Arena. "He stuck his nose on a play where most forwards wouldn't get near the ball. I think Steve [Cronin] might have been a split second late and give Taylor a lot of credit for finishing it off."

Donovan tied it at 1-1 in the 34th minute. Pete Vagenas found him open on the left flank, and the U.S. International used his speed to outpace Badilla before sending a perfectly weighted shot inside the near post past Reis.

At halftime, the Galaxy changed keepers, putting in untested rookie goalkeeper Josh Wicks for Cronin after Cronin apparently suffered an injury to a finger on his right hand in the collision with Twellman.

Donovan made it 2-1 in the 55th minute when Lewis played a through ball from midfield. Donovan, the U.S. National Team's all-time leader in goals and assists, outpaced Badilla and Michael Parkhurst before slotting a ball past Reis to the far post.

Joseph tiedthe score, 2-2, in the 71st minute, when Parkhurst got forward and slotted pass through to Joseph. Joseph got around his defender and sent a low shot past Wicks to the near post. The assist was the first of Parkhurst's career.

"Michael just played me a great ball," said Joseph. "I was in midfield and the guy was just staying on me. I just drifted off his shoulder. Michael saw me and played me a great ball. I took my touch away from the defender. I found the space, carried it a little bit, and then I just slotted it near post on the goalkeeper."

Thompson probably should've done better in the 75th minute, after Nyassi made a great run down the right flank and into the box. The Gambian U-20 International ran into the box and powered a cross through the box. Thompson ran in with an open net to shoot at, but couldn't redirect the ball on frame. Badilla followed shortly after with a chance of his own, but the Revs’ couldn’t muster a final goal to get three points.

"It was a good game of soccer, I think, tonight," said English International David Beckham. "We knew it was going to be a tough game. We knew coming here is always a difficult opponent to come up against. But overall I think that we played some good football ourselves as a team and we stuck together as a team. We'll take the draw. We felt like we deserved a win, but I'm biased."

The Revs next take on Joe Public F.C. on Tuesday at Gillette Stadium in the return leg of their CONCACAF Champions League series.

Return from Revolution Draw with Galaxy to New England Revolution

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