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MLS New England Revolution

Revolution Enjoy the Easy Win

August 2, 2007 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
New England Revolution News Release


FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - Pat Noonan scored his third goal in the last three games and Adam Cristman added a stoppage-time insurance strike as the New England Revolution earned a 2-0 victory over the Kansas City Wizards on Thursday night at Gillette Stadium.

The win pushed New England's (9-3-6, 33 pts.) unbeaten streak to five games, and helped the team extend a four-point lead over the second-place Wizards (8-6-5, 29 pts.) in the tight Eastern Conference. New England is now just one point shy of MLS' overall point leader - Houston - which has 34 points in 19 games, one more than the Revolution's 18 games played.

The win was also New England's (9-3-6, 33 pts.) first at home over Kansas City since Sept. 7, 1999, and their first ever at Gillette Stadium.

After a scoreless first half, Noonan celebrated his 27th birthday in style and gave the Revolution a 1-0 lead in the 55th minute when he tapped in a Taylor Twellman headed pass right in front of the goal. Khano Smith swung in a cross from the left wing and found Twellman on the far post, and the Revs' all-time leading goal scorer picked up his third assist in the last three games - all on Noonan goals - when Noonan punched in the shot from three yards out.

Cristman, MLS' top rookie scorer with four goals and four assists, then added to the lead one minute into injury time. He collected Revs keeper Matt Reis' clearance and knocked it out to Steve Ralston on the right wing. Ralston then threaded a through ball between the K.C. defense and Cristman ran onto the pass and blasted his nine-yard shot past Kansas City goalkeeper Kevin Hartman for the two-goal advantage.

Kansas City's best chance of the game came on a Carlos Marinelli shot in the 29th minute. His shot long-range drive deflected off New England defender Michael Parkhurst and toward goal, where Reis managed to get enough of his hand on the shot to tip the ball off the left post for the save. The save was just one of his five on the night as Reis collected his seventh shutout of the season to move him into a tie for the league lead in the category. Hartman was credited with eight saves in the loss.

The Revs will host three more successive home games before playing another road game. They'll welcome rival D.C. United to Gillette Stadium at 4 p.m., on Sunday, Aug. 5, and the Harrisburg City Islanders in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup at 7:30 p.m., on Wednesday, Aug. 8, before closing the homestand against the Los Angeles Galaxy on Aug. 12. For ticket information, visit revolutionsoccer.net, or call 1-877-GET-REVS.

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