MLS New England Revolution

Revs and Crew draw 1-1 after Columbus scores late equalizer

Published on June 21, 2006 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
New England Revolution News Release


New England extends its unbeaten streak to three games as Andy Dorman scores his third goal in his last three games.

Columbus, Ohio - Revolution midfielder Andy Dorman scored his third goal in his last three games, but a late Columbus Crew goal meant New England would emerge with a draw from its third straight match -1-1 - on Wednesday evening at Columbus Crew Stadium.

Dorman put the Revs ahead in the 66th minute when he slotted home a Taylor Twellman pass, but Columbus substitute forward Kai Kamara headed in the equalizer in the 86th minute to pull the Crew even. Though the Revs had assumed a more defensive posture in an attempt to preserve its lead, Columbus took advantage of a New England turnover at midfield to score the game-tying goal.

New England controlled the run of play and possession in the game's opening minutes while the Crew were unable to connect passes in their attacking third, but Columbus began to win challenges in the midfield and began to threaten on the counterattack midway through the first half.

Jeff Larentowicz looked to get the Revs off to strong start when he drove a shot on frame from outside the penalty area less than a minute into the contest, forcing Crew keeper Noah Palmer to make a diving save to his right. However, until defender Jay Heaps sent a shot high in the 31st minute after coming down the right wing, the Revolution only managed two other shots, both off set pieces.

In the 18th minute, Columbus had its first chance of the night when midfielder Chris Leitch broke in down the center channel on a fast break with Steve Ralston pressuring him from the side. Leitch released a shot that appeared to have Revs keeper Matt Reis beat, but the ball swerved wide right. One minute later, Eddie Gaven maneuvered into open space at the top of the area, but his shot also went wide right of the goal. In the 28th minute, Crew forward Joseph Ngwenya was 12 yards from goal in the area, one-on-one with Heaps when Heaps lost his footing and Ngwenya launched a shot high over the net.

Heaps' shot in the 31st helped changed the flow of the game, coupled with the departure of Crew defender and former New England defender Rusty Pierce, who left the game in the 36th minute with a left hamstring injury.

Dorman tested Palmer with a low shot aimed at the left post in the 40th minute, but Palmer stopped the angled shot before Revs midfielder and Shalrie Joseph, who wore the captains armband for New England, sent a header wide left off a New England corner in the 43rd minute. At the end of the half, the Revolution had come back to lead in shots 7-5, while collecting four corner kicks to the Crew's zero.

The Revolution came out attacking as the second half opened, earning a corner kick in the 47th minute after Twellman's pass at the top of the area was deflected over the endline. New England could not generate a chance as the ball went all the way out to the midfield where the Crew assumed control and broke in on a counterattack. Cameron Knox found Gavin coming down the left center channel behind the Revs' defense. Alone with Reis, Gavin tried to find the far, upper corner of the net, but Reis got a hand on the ball and sent it over the net for a Crew corner kick. The Revolution sent the first kick over the endline and the second corner kick came from the right side where Marcos Gonzales got a head on the ball, but the Crew defender's shot went wide left.

New England continued to struggle to link the midfield and forwards as the second half progressed, and attempted service from the wings resulted in several turnovers in the Revs' attacking third of the field. Dorman had the Revolution's best chance to that point in the game in the 61st minute when he made a run down the left wing and launched a rising shot from the corner of the penalty area, but the ball careened wide right.

Dorman finally connected and put the Revs up 1-0 in the 66th minute when he took Twellman's pass right inside the 18-yard line and launched a shot that beat Palmer to his left - near post - for his career-high fourth goal of the season. Midfielder José Cancela lofted a pass out of the midfield to Twellman, who was out wide on the right touchline. Twellman's layoff found Dorman streaking down the right center channel, allowing him a clear, undefended path to the goal and he made no mistake, driving his low shot home.

Dorman nearly put the Revs up 2-0 in the 69th minute when he headed a deflected Twellman shot past Palmer, but wide right, on his diving attempt eight yards out.

After Dorman's goal, Columbus picked up its attack, attempting four shots - three on Reis - in the next eight minutes, continually finding seams in the New England defense.

In the 74th minute, rookie midfielder Jani Galik made his MLS debut when he entered the game for Kyle Brown. When he checked into the contest, Galik became the fifth New England player to make his league debut this season.

Despite the lack of solid chances for either team as the game wore on, Columbus had the better of play, forcing turnovers in the midfield as the Revolution tried to break out of the back down the wings. During that span, Columbus gained an edge in shots, although the game-tying goal was the Crew's first real chance of the second half.

Columbus scored the equalizer in the 86th minute when Kamara headed a cross in from Kotschau, who came down the right wing after a New England turnover on the Revs left flank at midfield. Kamara streaked into the box unmarked behind the Revs' defense and headed into a wide-open net.

Twellman narrowly missed putting New England back ahead in the 89th minute when his running header hit the top of the crossbar. Twellman was fouled near the edge of the center circle, and on the quick restart, he found Ralston in the left center channel. Ralston's clever, square pass connected with Twellman, whose late run in behind the Crew defense left him open for the free header which beat Palmer but was just high of the mark.

With one last chance after drawing a corner kick in third minute of stoppage time, Cancala's service from the left side found Larentowicz's head on the near post, and he flicked the ball on to the far post for Heaps. However, Heaps slipped as he went into full extension to try to volley a shot on goal, the last play before the final whistle.

The Revolution continues on its weeklong trip when the team travels to Salt Lake City for a match Saturday, June 24 at Real Salt Lake. The game will air on Fox Sports Net at 9 p.m., as well as over the air on WEEI 850 AM (English) and WJDA 1300 AM (Spanish).

On Saturday, Salt Lake will be without head coach John Ellinger, who on Wednesday was suspended for one game and fined $1,000 by MLS for postgame comments critical of officials following Real's 2-1 loss to Houston on Saturday, June 17.

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Major League Soccer Stories from June 21, 2006


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