MLS New England Revolution

Wolff''s pair of goals leads visiting Wizards to victory

Published on September 5, 2009 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
New England Revolution News Release


FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - The New England Revolution pulled within one goal on two separate occasions despite an early red card to All-Star midfielder Shalrie Joseph, but the Kansas City Wizards ultimately secured a 4-2 victory on Saturday night at Gillette Stadium.

Edgaras Jankauskas cut the Wizards lead to 2-1 in the 64th minute and second-half substitute Kheli Dube made it 3-2 in the 81st, but a pair of goals by Josh Wolff, an additional strike by Claudio Lopez and a Jay Heaps own goal lifted the Wizards (6-10-6, 24 pts.) to their first victory since a 3-1 win over the Revs on June 13. New England (9-7-6, 33 pts.) had a season-high three-game winning streak snapped and finished its three-game home stand with a mark of 2-1-0.

Kansas City opened the scoring in just the third minute to snap a 427-minute scoreless streak which dated back to July 25. Revolution defender Darrius Barnes mishandled a long ball out of the back and was immediately pressured by Wolff. The pair tangled and the ball ultimately bounced off Barnes and into the middle of the box, where Lopez was waiting unmarked. The Argentine controlled the loose ball and slotted a shot under Revolution goalkeeper Brad Knighton to give the visitors an early lead.

New England's hopes of a comeback were dealt a blow in the 23rd minute when Joseph was shown a straight red card for a challenge on Jack Jewsbury.

The visitors needed just six minutes to make the most of their numerical advantage, taking a 2-0 lead in the 29th minute courtesy of a Heaps own goal. Wolff burst into left side of the box and worked his way to the end line before playing a sharp pass across the face of goal, and the ball took a touch off Emmanuel Osei before finally bouncing off Heaps and into the net.

Despite playing a man down, New England looked the more likely team to score early in the second half and turned its pressure into a goal in the 64th minute, when Jankauskas' second goal of the season cut the deficit to 2-1. A half clearance from the Kansas City defense sat up nicely for Jankauskas, who struck a dipping volley from 25 yards out into the far upper corner.

The Wizards restored their two-goal lead just nine minutes later, however, with Wolff notching his first of the game. As the Revolution pushed forward for an equalizer, Kansas City hit on the counterattack and sprung Lopez down the right wing. A low cross to the near post was almost cut out by Knighton, but Wolff managed to collect the ball and deposit his shot into the roof of the net from a tight angle.

The ten-man Revs refused to let up despite the deficit and pulled within a goal once again in the 81st minute when second-half substitutes Dube and Sainey Nyassi linked up. Nyassi's right-wing cross was curled to the near post, where Dube beat his man and rifled a diving header past Hartman for his seventh goal of the season.

Kansas City responded once again, however, finishing the game off with a fourth goal in stoppage time. Jewsbury sprayed a pass out to the right wing to Chance Myers, whose low cross to the back post found Wolff open for a close-range finish.

After completing their three-game home stand, the Revs will hit the road for the first time since mid-August when they visit Chivas USA at The Home Depot Center on Sunday, Sept. 13, in a match that will kick off at 3 p.m. ET.

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