Revolution Blow Lead, Fall to Shorthanded Red Bulls

(Photo: Chris Aduama/aduamaphotography.com)

The New England Revolution looked in prime position for a second straight victory after taking a one goal lead and a man advantage into halftime, but the New York Red Bulls had other ideas, dominating the second half and scoring twice to keep the Revolution winless at Red Bull Arena.

Charlie Davies opened the scoring for New England in the 20^th minute and the Revolution controlled the match for much of the first half until New York’s Matt Miazga was sent off in first half stoppage time. Despite being down a man, the Red Bulls came out firing in the second half, drawing level in just the 47^th minute off a long chipped shot from Dax McCarty and then scoring a winner through Bradley Wright-Phillips in the 63^rd minute. The Revolution had no response.

The loss, New England’s ninth in its last ten games, dropped the Revolution (8-12-2, 26 points) to fifth, but the team could fall out of a playoff spot by the end of Saturday night’s games. New York (6-6-10, 28 points) moves up to fourth.

Head coach Jay Heaps made just one change to the line-up that beat the Colorado Rapids 3-0 on Wednesday with rookie Steve Neumann handed just his second start of the season in place of Diego Fagundez.

Just two minutes in the Revolution had a shout for a penalty kick when Ibrahim Sekagya clipped Davies as he was making a run into the box with the ball. Instead, Allen Chapman gave Davies a yellow card for simulation.

Two minutes later New England had another chance when a Kelyn Rowe corner kick found its way to AJ Soares, whose shot was well saved by Luis Robles. The ball fell to Andrew Farrell, whose shot was also saved from close range and put out for another corner kick.

Davies put the Revolution ahead in 20^th minute after some great work from Teal Bunbury down the right flank. Bunbury used a step over move to beat his man then delivered a cross into the box. Bunbury’s effort was deflected, but fell right to Davies, who headed it in at the far post from close range for his first Revolution goal.

Rowe came close to adding the lead in the 35^th minute after a back heel from Davies found him outside the box. Rowe powered a shot towards goal, but it was wide of the net.

New York had a good chance in the 40^th minute when Thierry Henry controlled a long pass in the right side of the box and took a dangerous shot to the near post. His effort was deflected wide for a corner kick.

Three minutes later the Red Bulls nearly equalized when league-leading scoring Bradley Wright-Phillips rounded Bobby Shuttleworth and was in on goal, but captain Jose Goncalves got back to clear the ball before Phillips could shoot.

New England then gained a man advantage in first half stoppage time when defender Matt Miazga was sent off for a vicious late challenge on Lee Nguyen.

But despite the Revolution holding a man advantage, New York equalized in the 47^th minute after a headed clearance from Kevin Alston fell to Dax McCarty outside of the box. McCarty tried an audacious chip that beat Shuttleworth and entered at the far post.

New York nearly had another goal in the 55^th minute after catching the Revolution on the counterattack. Ambroise Oyongo Bitolo hit a low, long shot on frame that Shuttleworth saved, but gave up a rebound. Only a sliding Scott Caldwell kept the Red Bulls from collecting the rebound.

Kelyn Rowe surprisingly tested Luis Robles in the 59^th minute with a long distance shot from nothing. Robles tipped his shot high and then punched it over the bar for corner kick.

The Red Bulls then took the lead in the 63^rd minute when Bradley Wright-Phillips extended his league-leading goal scoring total to 18 goals after cutting around AJ Soares in the box and blasting a shot past Shuttleworth to make it 2-1.

The Revolution struggled to find  an equalizer, but Nguyen threatened with a long shot in the 85^th minute that rolled just wide of the far post.

A minute later the Red Bulls nearly put the game out of reach when Henry picked the ball off the Revolution defense and found substitute Peguy Luyindula across the box. Luyindula hit a low shot to the far post, but his effort hit off the woodwork and fell right to Shuttleworth.

The Revolution have a bye week, but return to action on August 16^th with a home match against the Portland Timbers.

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