New England Soccer Today

Texas Toast

(Photo: Chris Aduama/aduamaphotography.com)

(Photo: Chris Aduama/aduamaphotography.com)

The New England Revolution suffered their seventh straight MLS defeat on Saturday night, falling 2-0 to FC Dallas at Toyota Park in Frisco, Texas. A promising early start for the Revolution produced no results and Dallas took the lead in the 29th minute through Andrés Escobar, then dominated the second half and rookie Tesho Akindele put the game out of reach with a stoppage time goal.

The loss dropped the Revolution (7-10-2, 23 points) to fifth place in the Eastern Conference. The Revolution didn’t suffer their 10th loss of the season in 2013 till September 8th.

Dallas (8-7-5, 29 points) temporarily jumped to second place in the Western Conference.

Head coach Jay Heaps made several changes to the team that lost 5-1 at the Los Angeles Galaxy on Wednesday. Heaps was forced into two changes with Scott Caldwell replacing the suspended AJ Soares at defensive midfield and Stephen McCarthy replacing an injured Jose Goncalves at center back. Heaps made several unforced changes with Charlie Davies and rookie Steve Neumann getting their first starts for the club in place of striker Patrick Mullins and Diego Fagundez, respectively, while Daigo Kobayashi got back into the line-up in place of Kelyn Rowe.

The Revolution started the better side, controlling most of the possession early and holding much of the play in Dallas’ half, but were unable to test Raul Fernandez in the early going.

Dallas threatened first in the 18th minute when Escobar found space down the left flank and sent in a dangerous cross to the far post. Blas Pérez rose up to win the header, but directed his effort high of the net.

The home team continued the pressure a minute later with Escobar cutting inside to take a powerfully hit shot at the top of the box, but Bobby Shuttleworth dove to make the save.

Dallas then took the lead in the 29th minute. Akindele saw his long shot deflected by Shuttleworth and rebounded off the crossbar to Escobar. Escobar dribbled past Darrius Barnes to the six yard box and blasted a shot that deflected off a sliding Andrew Farrell and beat Shuttleworth to give Dallas the 1-0 lead.

Despite controlling close to 56% possession in the first half, the Revolution managed just one shot compared to Dallas’ eleven by halftime.

Dallas caught the Revolution on a couple of dangerous counterattacks to start the second half, but both Adam Moffat and Pérez missed shots high of the net.

Escobar threatened with a shot from distance in the 54th minute, but Shuttleworth managed to tip his long shot high of the night.

Head coach Jay Heaps attempted to spark the Revolution offense in the 56th minute bringing on Kelyn Rowe and Partick Mullins for Davies and Teal Bunbury. He’d introduce Diego Fagundez for Daigo Kobayashi in the 70th minute.

Shuttleworth was forced into action again in the 62nd minute when Akindele attempted a long shot from the top of the box. The ball seemed to be going right at Shuttleworth, but the keeper leaned the opposite way of the shot’s curves and just managed to push it high for a corner.

The home side continued to control the second half and nearly scored in the 67th minute when Je-Vaughn Watson got on the end of an Escobar corner kick and put a header on frame only to see it deflect off Mullins and be denied by the post.

Moises Hernandez forced Shuttleworth into action again in the 77th minute after a run down the left flank to the top of the box. No one closed Hernandez who blasted a shot to the near post that Shuttleworth just punched out.

Neumann finally registered New England’s first shot on target in the 83rd minute, but it was weakly hit right at Dallas’ ‘keeper Raúl Fernández, who made the easy save.

Dallas put the game out of reach in the 91nd minute when Akindele took advantage of the Revolution pressing forward, to get into a one-on-one situation with Farrell. Akindele beat Farrell and then beat Shuttleworth with a blast to the near post to make it 2-0.

Fagundez forced Fernández into a save off a corner a minute later, but that was the last attack the Revolution could muster.

Mauro Díaz nearly added a third for Dallas at the end of stoppage time, when the home side again caught the Revolution defense with numbers forward, but Shuttleworth came up big to deny his shot.

New England’s current seven game losing streak immediately followed a five game winning streak and seven game unbeaten streak. The Revolution returns home to face the Columbus Crew on Saturday, July 26, at Gillette Stadium.

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