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Shalrie Joseph and the Revlolution fell again the league championship game. |
"If we were told before the game the chances we would have in the game, I would've been happy," said Revolution coach Steve Nicol. "It was real simple for me. You don't take your chances, you leave a team hanging around and it comes back and bites you. That's exactly what happened today."
The Dynamo came in limping without striker Brian Ching and midfielder Ricardo Clark, but they came out quickly and put New England on the back foot in the first couple of minutes before the Revs settled in and took over. Twellman put the Revs on top in the 20th minute after Steve Ralston was played free down the middle by Shalrie Joseph. Ralston moved out to the right flank and sent in a perfect cross to the box, where Twellman eluded his marker and headed it past a flatfooted Pat Onstad to the far post for his third goal of the postseason.
"Ralston played a good ball and I just tried to put it on target," Twellman said. "Fortunately it went in. Obviously, it didn't mean much."
Twellman should have doubled his tally in the 33rd minute, after Khano Smith intercepted a pass from the Dynamo and dribbled by three defenders before entering the box. The Bermudian international had space to shoot, but opted instead to send it to Twellman near the penalty spot. Twellman hit a weak left footed shot that was stopped by a diving Onstad.
The Revs threatened again in stoppage time of the first half, after a cleared corner was sent back to Ralston by Parkhurst. Ralston whipped in a cross that was out of reach of Twellman, but landed at the feet of a wide open Pat Noonan. Noonan's first touch let him down and his shot from a tight angle was easily saved by Onstad.
A minute after halftime Noonan should have doubled the Revs lead after he was played free of the defense on a long pass from the midfield. Noonan ran in on goal and unleashed a shot as Onstad charged forward, but saw his effort kicked wide by the Canadian International 'keeper.
Two minutes later it was Houston with a chance, as Nqwenya got around Jay Heaps and powered a low shot on frame but Revs’ goalie Matt Reis was well positioned to make the save.
Ngwenya tied the score in the 61st minute after the Revs failed to clear a Houston corner kick. The ball fell to Mullan, who sent in a cross that Avery John attempted to flick out for a corner. The ball land near De Rosario, who sent it back into the box where Ngwenya tried to shoot, but mishit the ball. The ball stayed at his feet, where the Houston striker managed to get off a second shot that beat Reis at the near post.
Joseph sprung Ralston free for a grand chance in the 73rd minute. Ralston ran into the box and sent a powerful cross toward a wide open Twellman and Noonan that Onstad just managed to get a hand on.
De Rosario won the game for Houston in the 74th minute. The Canadian International headed home a cross from Brad Davis, just out of the reach of a diving Reis.
"We were trying to push up, trying to get some room and then they were able to gather the ball," said defender Jay Heaps. "I'm not sure who whipped it in, but I went up to challenge and De Rosario was able to get a quick little jump and a great finish. I've seen some great goals in some big games, but I thought that was pretty big."
Onstad played hero again late in the match, robbing the Revs of what should have been the tying goal in the 87th minute after Jeff Larentowicz got on the end of an Andy Dorman corner kick just a few yards from goal. Larentowicz's powerful header was just kept out by the feet of Onstad.
"Their goalie made an incredible save at the end," Nicol said. "Really we lost it because we have not taken our chances. They had two chances. The first one probably shouldn't have gotten that far from the corner; we should have had a free kick. [Nate] Jaqua's fouling the goalkeeper every corner kick. The second goal is a great header, but we're guilty of not taking our chances, that's why we've lost the game."
The Revs kept Houston pinned back in the final minutes with Reis pushing up near midfield as they looked for an equalizer, but the team could not get anything past Onstad as Houston won its second consecutive championship.
"It's a tale of two halves," Twellman said. "You have got to give Houston credit. We outplayed them in the first half, had quality chances and the second half we came out, bunkered in and just didn't get the job done."
"We did well as a team [this season]," said Shalrie Joseph, arguably the Revs best player on the night. "Our goal was getting back to the MLS Cup Final and winning. Some teams and some players don't even get the opportunity to play in cups and we've been playing in it for four years. Unfortunately we haven't won the cup yet, but we've still got to keep pushing and we have still got to be positive and just look forward to next season."
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