Revs Can't Handle United

Remain Winless in Last Five Games

October 17, 2008

By Sean Donahue

Taylor Twellman scored his 99th career MLS goal to give the Revolution a second half lead, but D.C. United, fighting for its playoff life, battled back and won, 2-1, behind two goals by Francis Doe.

The loss leaves the Revs winless in their last five games and their record at 12-10-7. With one game remaining, the Revs will need lots of help from other results if they are to take the second seed going into the playoffs.

With Steve Ralston out to injury, the Revs started the match in a 4-4-2 formation. Gabriel Badilla got the start at center back and Mauricio Castro again got the start at right midfield.

Taylor Twellman

Taylor Twellman scored the Revs' only goal on Thursday. (Photo credit: Joyce Furia)

D.C. had the first good chance of the match in the 19th minute, when Francis Doe got on the end of a through ball in the box. Doe powered a low shot towards the far post, but Revs' goalkeeper Matt Reis managed to keep it out with an acrobatic diving save. The rebound fell right to Luciano Emilio, but the Brazilian couldn't keep the shot on frame.

Castro had a chance on a free kick in the 25th minute when Khano Smith was fouled just outside the box. Castro stepped up to take the kick and curled his shot around the wall but Louis Crayton managed to punch it out.

Emilio, whose shooting was poor early in the match, was just off target in the 28th minute. Emilio beat his defender to get on the end of a Thabiso Khumalo cross, but though his header beat Reis, it bounced off the crossbar and was cleared out by the Revs.

Reis came up huge in the 31st minute, when DC earned a free kick about thirty yards from goal. Marc Burch stepped up to take the kick and got it through the wall, but Reis managed to keep it out with a diving save.

The Revolution took the lead in the 58th minute when Kheli Dube played Castro free of the defense on a quick counter attack. Castro ran forward, drew out Crayton, and played it to Twellman, who slotted it into the empty net for his 99th career goal.

Twellman should have had a second goal in the 63rd minute, after Smith was played free in the box off a throw in. Smith crossed it to the far post, but Twellman couldn't direct it on frame.

Seconds later D.C. took the lead when substitute Jaime Moreno played Doe behind the defense with a nice through ball. Doe beat Gabriel Badilla with a cutback move and then beat Reis with a shot inside the near post.

In an effort to turn things around, the Revs brought on speedy Gambian Internationals Kenny Mansally and Sainey Nyassi for Castro and Dube in the 75th minute. The 19-year-olds, fresh off duty with their home country, didn't get a lot of touches on the ball, and D.C. who continued to bring on more offensive minded players to try and get a much needed victory, still controlled the match.

Doe put D.C. ahead in the 80th minute on a counter attack. The Liberian international used his strength to hold off Parkhurst and get on the end of a Santino Quaranta pass before chipping a shot into the far corner.

In a final move to try and get a draw, Revs’ coach Steve Nicol brought on Pat Phelan for Badilla in the 85th minute and switched to a 3-5-2 formation. Though the Revs got forward, they failed to really threatened Crayton again.

The Revs next return to Foxboro on Saturday, Oct. 25 to take on the Kansas City Wizards in the final regular season game.

Return from Revs Can't Handle United to New England Revolution

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