Joseph, Sene Score Twice in Wild 3-3 Draw

Saer Sene celebrates his first of two goals for the Revolution in Wednesday’s 3-3 draw with Chivas. (Photo: Kari Heistad/CapturedImages.biz)

FOXBOROUGH, Mass – The New England Revolution built a three-goal lead within the first 21 minutes of the game, only to see it evaporate in the next 25 minutes, tying Chivas USA, 3-3 in front of 10,945 at Gillette Stadium Wednesday night.

“Oye,” Revolution head coach Jay Heaps said when he sat down for his press conference.

Saer Sene scored a brace for New England but former Revolution captain Shalrie Joseph scored a double of his own in his return to Foxborough to lead the comeback for Chivas USA.  A Raushawn McKenzie own-goal and a strike from midfielder Miller Bolanos rounded out the scoring.

The home side opened the scoring early as a Chris Tierney long ball found it’s way into the box. Raushawn McKenzie tried to head the ball clear, but his effort fell straight down on the turf to the feet of Sene. With his back to the goal, the forward struck a left footed side volley past Dan Kennedy in the fourth minute.

Things didn’t get better for McKenzie, as 7 minutes later, rookie Kelyn Rowe’s low cross tapped off the defender’s foot and into his own net to give the Revolution a two-goal lead only 11 minutes in.

And just 10 minutes later, the Revs expanded their lead to 3. After a long goal kick from Matt Reis was settled by Joseph, Sene and Jerry Bengston combined to take the ball away from the former captain, and Sene took a touch to his left and blasted a knuckle shot by Kennedy in the 21^st minute.

But that turnover sparked something inside Joseph, who just a minute later buried a header past Reis – his first goal for his new club – to start the comeback for the Goats.

“Shalrie’s a gamer,” Heaps said. “I bet you he circled this one. Credit to him. He put this team on his back and he did a nice job. He’s always going to be a Rev, it’s just a little bit of time when he’s not. But in terms of what he did tonight, I never questioned that guy.”

Joseph continued to carry the team on his back into halftime. In stoppage time of the first half, Juan Agudelo patiently held the ball in the final third and then nicely served a horizontal ball to a streaking Joseph. He let the ball cross his body and smoothly struck the ball past Reis to the far post into the back of the net, bringing the Goats within one.

The halftime lead was the first the Revolution have had at in a month, their last coming July 29^th against Philadelphia – another game which the Revolution failed to hold onto their advantage.

Their lead in the second half didn’t last long – at all. Just 82 seconds into the second frame, Agudelo crossed it to the far post where rookie Casey Townsend headed the ball to a wide open Miller Bolanos, who’s one time low volley beat Reis from six yards away.

“I haven’t seen the film, but I’m a little disappointed in the timing of the goals,” Heaps said. “Their set-piece goal, then two minutes before halftime and two minutes after halftime. Those are just critical times in a game – times we stress, times we work on. It’s a disappointing result.”

The Goats had a pair of chances to take the lead in the 62^nd minute, but Reis spurned away both close chances. First, he denied a low shot from Chivas sub Juan Pablo Angel and seconds later denied Agudelo from 15 yards out.

The Revolution controlled more possession in the second half than they did in the first, but only mustered up two true scoring opportunities. Tierney sent a high ball to the back post and watched as Rowe climbed the ladder to head the ball towards goal – only to be denied by the crossbar. Just seconds later, Benny Feilhaber had a chance alone with the goalie, but Kennedy did well to cut down the angle.

New England, now 0-7-2 in their last 9 games, will have a quick turnaround as they host the Philadelphia Union on Saturday at home.

“We have to get prepared fast,” Sene said of the upcoming game. “Now this game is finished, we’re going to think about it tonight, but tomorrow we’ve got to come into practice and forget it and think about the game on Saturday and try to learn from our mistakes tonight and try to win the game.”