FOXBORO, Mass. – The New England Revolution entertained 16,591 at rainy Gillette Stadium on Saturday evening by tying DC United 2-2, but, in the process, closed out a two-game home stand in disappointing fashion.
Lee Nguyen gave the Revolution the lead in the fifth minute with a goal off a header from a Kei Kamara cross to snap the team’s 203-minute scoreless streak. But the Revolution, who also gave up points on Wednesday night in a 0-0 draw with the San Jose Earthquakes, had to rally at halftime, as DC United scored two goals between the 26th and 29th minutes to take the lead.
Juan Agudelo equalized for the hosts in the 47th minute, but the high octane match, which produced 30 chances and three shots off the woodwork between both teams, ended in a stalemate.
“Very disappointed,” said Agudelo after the match. “I thought we were the better team, created chances. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to pick up very important points. It could be one of those games, and this past game against San Jose, could be one of those game we hoped we got points out of here.
“I just felt like we let go of the pedal a bit once we got a goal. Just got to keep pushing to finish off the team. I knew how important it was to not let a team like DC hang around, and I was telling the guys, ‘we need another goal.’”
Agudelo was essential to both of New England’s goals. He led the counter attack that created Nguyen’s fifth minute finish, playing Scott Caldwell at the edge of the area before the ball went wide to Kamara on the flank.
In the 57th minute, Kelyn Rowe floated a corner to the back post for Antonio Delamea, who headed the ball across the box, Agudelo knocking the ball into net to make it 2-2 (the league still claims the goal was an own goal off DC’s Sean Franklin, though replay clearly shows Agudelo having the last touch).
DC equalized in the 26th minute via Jared Jeffrey, who volleyed a clearance by Kei Kamara into the back of the net from 18 yards out. Three minutes later, United took the lead as Sebastian Le Toux went in behind the Revolution back line on the left flank and curled a long shot inside the far post past New England goalkeeper Cody Cropper, who was off his line.
Ian Harkes hit the post for DC twice, once in the 17th minute and then again with a header off a freekick in the 40th.
Kamara, who was ineffective for most of the match, headed a cross by Chris Tierney off the left post in the 81st minute.
“It was right there, I thought that was the goal that was going to come,” said Revolution coach Jay Heaps.
“We were maybe passing when we should be shooting, shooting when we should be passing, just a little bit off,” added Heaps. “We do a lot of those situations in training to create the moment to let the players make the decision. Tonight I think the decision making was a little over aggressive.”
The Revolution are now winless in their last three and will hit the road for a two-game road stand, first at Seattle then at Columbus. They’ll return to Gillette Stadium on May 13 against Real Salt Lake.
Meanwhile, the season is still young, but the dropped points could prove costly later on as the playoffs near. The Revolution know that lesson all too well, given that they needed just one more point to clinch a post-season berth last year.
“We take two points which is disappointing, but there’s a lot of good stuff to take,” said Tierney. “I know that’s probably not what a lot of fans want to hear at this point. But, I think if you look at the games we’ve played some really good stuff, we just gave up a few soft goals.
“We need to button a few things up. Again, it probably sounds old to even some of us. But, we’re going to stay positive keep move forward. We like the group we have. We feel like if we keep playing the way we are—button a few things up—well be in good shape.”
NE Revolution
DC United
