After weeks of slipping up and going nowhere fast, the New England Revolution are starting to play well again and appear to be turning a corner.
But that doesn’t mean referees have gone along with the Revolution’s positive change in form.
Case in point, the Revolution’s 2-2 tie away at the Chicago Fire on Saturday night.
Referee Ricardo Salazar awarded the Fire a questionable penalty kick late in the first half, Shaun Maloney converting the spot shot to tie the match at 1-1 before halftime. But Salazar didn’t call a penalty kick for the Revolution on a seemingly obvious handball in the penalty area in second half stoppage time.
The result was a stalemate which, while keeping the Revolution in playoff position, cost them the full share of points.
The Revolution bossed the tempo of the game from the opening minutes, invigorated by their win last weekend versus New York City FC as well as the return of Jermaine Jones, who did not play against Chicago but was on the bench for the first time in over six weeks.
Chris Tierney, who will travel Denver directly from Chicago to play in the MLS All-Star game next Wednesday, helped create the opening goal in the 28th minute when he found Scott Caldwell running down the left flank.
Caldwell took Tierney’s pass and went at goal, firing a feed through the six-yard box for Teal Bunbury. Chicago goalkeeper Sean Johnson tipped the through pass out of the penalty area, though it fell for Lee Nguyen, who one-timed the loose ball into the net for his fourth goal of the season.
Then came the controversy.
In the 43rd minute, Jose Goncalves and Chicago’s David Accam both went for the ball near the top of the penalty area following the remnants of a corner kick, Accam ending up on the turf.
Salazar immediately pointed to the spot, drawing immediate protest from the Revolution. Maloney netted his second goal of the season once the arguments died down. Brad Knighton, playing in his second consecutive game, guessed correctly by diving left, though Maloney’s shot had too much pace to be stopped.
The second half was just as much of a seesaw display. Chicago took the lead in the 75th minute through Razvan Cocis, only to have the Revolution via Kelyn Rowe two minutes later.
Chicago’s go-ahead goal occurred because the Revolution was out of position of another corner kick. This time Accam found space on the left side of the box following the botched clearance, his service to the back post finding Cocis, who poked the ball into the back of the net to make it 2-1.
Then Rowe, who entered the game in the 70th minute for Bunbury, ran onto a Tierney through pass in the 77th minute and tucked away the equalizer to make it 2-2.
The Revolution seemed to be well on their way to scoring another goal but couldn’t convert for one reason or another.
In the 85th minute, Nguyen was taken down by Chicago’s Adailton just outside the penalty area, though the ball eventually fell to Davies, who fired a shot into the back of the net.
But Salazar called the play back to award the Revolution with a free kick for Adailton’s foul. What was puzzling about the play was Davies being called offside though on the replay he was clearly on.
The Revolution’s final attempt came as Matt Watson handled a ball in the box in second half stoppage time, Salazar waving play on.
There have been eight penalty kicks in Revolution games this season. Seven have gone against the Revolution.
On Saturday night in Chicago, the Revolution seemed to have good case to have had one less penalty kick against them and one more called for them.
In any case, the result leaves the Revolution with a short, two-game unbeaten streak, though it also keeps them from moving up more in the standings. The Revolution has two bye-weeks approaching, as well as tough tilts against Toronto, Orlando, and Houston. With the home stretch of the season nearing, the onus might be on the Revolution to make its own luck.
If you want to reach Julian email him at julianccardillo@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @juliancardillo
