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MLS New England Revolution

Early lead disappears in loss

September 9, 2007 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
New England Revolution News Release


WASHINGTON - D.C. United scored three unanswered goals in the second half to earn a 4-2 victory over the New England Revolution in a battle between Major League Soccer's top two teams on Sunday afternoon at RFK Stadium. Taylor Twellman and Jay Heaps gave the Revs a 2-1 lead early in the second half, but United responded to earn the win and push its lead over the Revs to four points.

New England (12-6-6, 42 pts.) saw its two-game winning streak snapped, and suffered its first loss in D.C. since June 2005. D.C. United (14-6-4, 46 pts.) extended not only its Eastern Conference lead over the second-place Revs, but also it's overall MLS lead over the Revs.

United took a 1-0 lead in the 31st minute when Fred got on the end of an angled Jaime Moreno cross and first-timed a shot past Revs goalkeeper Matt Reis. The goal wasn't without controversy, though, as the Revs appealed that Fred was offside before Moreno's pass over the New England defense.

Heaps nearly leveled in the 36th minute, his rising shot off a free kick rebound headed off the line by Devon McTavish and out over the crossbar.

Just before the half, New England finally broke through when Twellman settled a Khano Smith cross and volleyed in a shot past United goalkeeper Troy Perkins for the 1-1 score. It was Twellman's 13th career goal against DC, his second-highest total against any MLS team.

Tied 1-1 coming out of the half, Pat Noonan had a chance to put the Revs ahead when he took Twellman's short pass in the box and lifted his unmarked shot high over the crossbar with Perkins already on the ground.

Heaps put the Revs ahead in the 54th minute, crashing in to poke the ball into the goal off a corner kick. Steve Ralston's service deflected off Uniter defender Marc Burch's knee and found space between Perkins' legs and Heaps crashed the goal for the go-ahead tally.

New England's lead was short-lived however, when Moreno picked up the rebound of his own blocked shot in the 59th minute and pushed the ball in at the far post over a prone Reis, still on the ground from the initial shot.

United netted the go-ahead goal in the 68th minute when Luciano Emilio deflected Christian Gomez's shot on its way to goal. Ben Olsen, who appeared to have fouled Khano Smith down the wing to start the play, put a low cross in from the right to Gomez at the top of the penalty area. After the goal, livid with the non-call against Olsen, Revolution head coach Steve Nicol was ejected from the game and escorted to the Revs' locker room.

Steve Ralston nearly knotted the game in the 76th minute, sending his shot from 12 yards out - again unmarked - wide left by inches after Perkins has committed to the near post. Wells Thompson had worked around two defenders out on the left wing and fed Twellman in the center of the area. Twellman laid the ball of for Ralston, but he pushed his shot just wide.

D.C. added to its lead and closed the scoring in the 83rd minute, pushing the game to 4-2 when Brian Carroll worked all the way to the endline and put a looping backward cross on Emilio's head near the penalty spot. Emilio found the far post past a diving Reis.

The Revs return home on Saturday, Sept. 15, when they host FC Dallas at 7:30 p.m. at Gillette Stadium. For more information, call 1-877-GET-REVS.

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