Revs’ Rally Falls Short in 3-2 Loss to D.C.

Saer Sene (left) opened the Revolution account in the 48th minute, but it wasn't enough to overtake an attacking D.C. United side on Saturday (Photo: Chris Aduama/aduama.com)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Revolution scored two early second-half goals to erase a 2-0 halftime deficit, but D.C. United sub Maicon Santos scored in the 61st minute to give the home side a 3-2 over New England.

It was the second straight game that a second half sub has scored and stolen points away from the Revolution, this time ruining a valiant second half comeback attempt led by goals from Saer Sene and AJ Soares.

United scored first early in the 15th minute off a Brandon McDonald header. After a foul just over midfield, Branko Boskovic sent a long ball into the box where McDonald flicked a header over Matt Reis, who was standing just a couple yards out of his net. McDonald beat Soares and Sharlie Joseph for his first goal of the season.

“We were a little loose on the foul that cost the first set piece,” Revolution head coach Jay Heaps told reporters after the game. “That was a great header from [Brandon] McDonald.”

Just ten minutes later, rookie Nick DeLeon made a move on the near side against Kevin Alston to get a slight separation. Alston did well to close the window but DeLeon still hit a low cross into the area where Hamdi Salihi’s touch was wide of the net.

New England’s best chance of the first half came when Benny Feilhaber played a long ball to Sene, deep in United territory. Sene went one-on-one with DC keeper Bill Hamid, and actually beat him five-hole, but Hamid’s back leg got a piece of it and it went just wide.

In stoppage time of the first half, D.C. was able to double their lead off a corner kick. After Alston was beat far post, the ball was bounced around in the middle of the area before it kindly bounced off Feilhaber right to Dejan Jakovic, who gave United a 2-0 lead.

“The second [goal] to me is unforgivable, quite frankly,” Heaps said, according to dcunited.com. “It was five minutes before half, just textbook [definition] of what you don’t want to give up. Not only was it an indirect free kick, but [the ball] also bounced and was kicked around in the box. That was a play that we need to be better on.”

Revolution head coach Jay Heaps was fired up heading into the locker room at halftime and his speech at the break was clearly motivational.

“I told them what I thought in my heart, that we gave them the 2-0,” Heaps said of the halftime speech. “There were glimpses, when we got the ball, that we could get them on their heels, and I really called upon them to show some heart in the second half. The first ten minutes of the second half was were the game was going to be won or lost. It was close.”

The Revolution scored less than three minutes into the second forty-five to cut the lead in half. Sene took the ball across the middle, leaving it for Joseph. Joseph played a short ball to Feilhaber, taking a couple touches before rocketing a shot. D.C. goalie Bill Hamid made the original save but the ball bounced right to Sene, who tucked it away for his seventh goal of the season.

Just two minutes later in the 50th minute, the Revs earned a corner kick. Chris Tierney curled a left footed service into the box and found a streaking AJ Soares, who headed it in for his first goal of the season.

New England almost took their first lead of the game minutes later. Cardenas sent a through ball behind the United defense to Sene but as Sene went to take his second touch, Hamid came out and smothered the opportunity.

A minute later, Maicon Santos came in, replacing Boskovic. And four minutes after the change, Santos gave United the lead for good.

Santos gathered the ball 35 yards out and continued to split between Joseph, McCarthy, and Alston. Neither followed Santos, who played it to Dwayne De Rosario. De Rosario took it to the left, drawing the attention of the Revs defenders. De Rosario then dropped it back to a wide-open Santos, who slotted it past Reis from 12 yards out.

The Revolution made a late effort as rookie and second half sub Kelyn Rowe placed a header high off a corner in the 90th minute, but Hamid (five saves) made a jumping, one-handed save to preserve the win.

“We obviously weren’t happy with the effort in the first half,” Revolution defender Chris Tierney said. “We know we are a better team, and we just have to believe that and believe in each other. We showed what we were capable of in the second half. Unfortunately in this league, if you don’t do it for 90 minutes it’s not going to amount to wins.”

New England returns to action on Tuesday when they take on the Harrisburg City Islanders in U.S. Open Cup play. Their next MLS game is home against Chicago Fire on June 2nd at 7:30 p.m.