two losses in MLS Cup Finals surrounding a 4-0 loss to FC Dallas in their only visit to Frisco last year.
• Here's Morrow's team (4-3-1-2): Shaka Hislop - Bobby Rhine (Abe Thompson 79), Clarence Goodson, Drew Moor, Chris Gbandi - Dax McCarty, Aaron Pitchkolan (Dominic Oduro 46), Juan Toja - Ramon Nunez - Kenny Cooper, Carlos Ruiz (Arturo Alvarez 63). Substitutes Not Used: Ray Burse, Michael Dello-Russo, Blake Wagner, Anthony Wallace
• Here's Nicol's team (3-4-1-2): Matt Reis - Jay Heaps, Michael Parkhurst, Avery John (James Riley 46) - Steve Ralston, Jeff Larentowicz, Shalrie Joseph, Khano Smith (Wells Thompson 73) - Andy Dorman - Pat Noonan (Adam Cristman 61), Taylor Twellman. Substitutes Not Used: Gary Flood, Marshall Leonard, Arsene Oka, Doug Warren
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION
The New England Revolution returned to action for the first time in two weeks and saw D.C. United come back for a 4-2 victory in a bitterly contested game at RFK Stadium last Sunday afternoon. The Revolution are still in second place in the Eastern Conference, but now seven points behind D.C. United, with 42 points from 24 matches, still tied for second overall in the MLS table.
LAST MATCH
• The teams came in separated by just a single point in not only the Eastern Conference standings but also the MLS overall table. United hadn't lost since July 22, lengthening their unbeaten streak on Thursday, while the Revolution were coming off a two-week layoff after winning for a second match in a row, Aug. 25 vs. New York.
• United took the lead in a highly contested affair in the 31st minute. Jaime Moreno spied Fred slipping in behind the Revolution back line, and curled a pass over the top for the Brazilian to run onto. Despite a hint of offside, Fred brought the ball down before lashing home for his seventh goal, and fourth in the last six games.
• But the Revolution pulled ahead with goals on either side of halftime. First, Khano Smith sent in a cross from the left corner that Taylor Twellman masterfully chested down before ripping home a left-footed drive from the heart of the area for his fourth goal in the last five games. Then nine minutes into the second half, Jay Heaps provided the final touch of a corner kick that bobbled on the line under Troy Perkins as he and a United defender desperately sought to keep it out.
• Yet United came storming back. On a day that Moreno was honored in a pregame ceremony for taking over the league's all-time goalscoring lead, he came through. He latched onto a deflection of his own shot in the area before delicately chipping over Matt Reis for career goal No. 110 in the 59th minute.
• Then Emilio salted the game away. He was given credit for the game-winner when Christian Gomez's shot from outside the area deflected off Emilio's left foot and went the other way past Matt Reis (67). But there was no question about his second: Brian Carroll made a storming run down the left flank and whipped in a cross for Emilio, who came running in at the near post and nodded home for his league-leading 18th goal on the campaign.
• Revolution head coach Steve Nicol made two changes to the team that defeated the New York Red Bulls 2-1 on Aug. 25, back to his full first-choice side. Jay Heaps and Pat Noonan both returned from injury, coming in for James Riley and Adam Cristman respectively.
• Here's Nicol's team (3-4-1-2): Matt Reis - Jay Heaps, Michael Parkhurst, Avery John - Steve Ralston, Jeff Larentowicz, Shalrie Joseph, Khano Smith (Wells Thompson 70) - Andy Dorman (Sainey Nyassi 82) - Pat Noonan (Adam Cristman 62), Taylor Twellman. Substitutes Not Used: Gary Flood, Marshall Leonard, James Riley, Doug Warren
TEAM NEWS
• The loss left the Revolution four points behind United in the Eastern Conference standings for the moment, but more importantly, they have not been able to put together a winning streak of more than two games since the middle of May.
• "That tells you something -- we think we've got a good team," said Nicol. "It tells you the league is tough and every game you play is tough."
• New England defeated Kansas City on the road and New York at home prior to Sunday's match. Before that, the Revs were pounded by United at home and Colorado on the road 3-0, while sandwiching in a 1-0 home win against Los Angeles.
• "We didn't keep possession, went straight to goal every time," Reis said to The Boston Globe. "With the formation (3-5-2), we had a numbers advantage in the midfield, but we ended up chasing the game, even with the lead. But we are so inconsistent, such a Jekyll and Hyde team, that I don't think this gives anyone an advantage. Right now, we are all over the shop."
• Said Taylor Twellman: "We've got to do a better job of finishing off games out right now. Giving the ball away and not helping each other out."
• Nicol will be watching Saturday's game from the press box after he was dismissed from the United match in the 68th minute, feeling there should have been a foul called just before the third United goal. "We can't set the team up to play against the officials," Nicol said. "They have no idea of the implications of their decisions."
• Still, while there was controversy surrounding the first two United goals, the Revolution felt they should have pulled out a point, at least.
• "That happens and we've got to respond to that," Jay Heaps said. "But we've got to finish that game -- we had a 2-1 lead. We fought back hard but they scored on three of their four chances in the second half so give them credit, but at the same time we've got to learn to put that game away."
FC DALLAS
FC Dallas put an end to a quick two-game losing streak, rebounding from their worst-ever defeat at Pizza Hut Park to post a 2-0 victory against Toronto FC on Saturday evening in Frisco. The Hoops are still in third place in the Western Conference with 39 points from 23 matches, a point behind Chivas USA and three behind Houston Dynamo in the division, while sitting in fifth place overall in the MLS table.
LAST MATCH
• Both teams were looking to put an end to losing runs. FC Dallas had lost back-to-back games, both by shutout, while Toronto FC hadn't won since July 4, losing three in a row, and hadn't scored in nearly 11 hours of play.
• Both goals came from the penalty spot. In the 36th minute, Abe Thompson was tripped up as he got behind TFC defender Tyrone Marshall in the area, and referee Hilario Grajeda pointed to the spot for the first time. The recently acquired Denilson -- who was at the heart of all the dangerous moments for FCD on the night -- knocked the penalty off the inside of the post, across the line and in for his first MLS goal.
• Then in the 87th minute, Toronto defender Joey Melo wrapped up FCD striker Dominic Oduro as he tried to round him in the box, and Thompson converted this time to finish off the match.
• Toronto had, once again, done everything but score. In the 84th minute Collin Samuel leapt at a rebound in the area and sent it goalward, but somehow FCD 'keeper Dario Sala came flying across to push the ball away with his left palm, and ensure TFC's MLS-record goalless streak would be at 732 minutes by game's end.
• FCD head coach Steve Morrow made four changes to the team that lost 4-0 to D.C. United the Saturday before in Frisco. Adrian Serioux came back into central defense for the injured Clarence Goodson, while David Wagenfuhr remained at left back for Chris Gbandi. Abe Thompson came in up top for the injured Carlos Ruiz, and Denilson made his MLS debut, coming into a deep-lying forward role in place of Dax McCarty.
• Here's Morrow's team (4-2-3-1): Dario Sala - Drew Moor, Aaron Pitchkolan, Adrian Serioux, David Wagenfuhr - Pablo Ricchetti, Juan Toja (Alex Yi 89) - Arturo Alvarez (Dominic Oduro 82), Denilson, Ricardinho (Dax McCarty 65) - Abe Thompson. Substitutes Not Used: Ray Burse, Chris Gbandi, Bobby Rhine, Anthony Wallace
• "I didn't think it was our best night," said Morrow. "We're happy to get the win and I think we deserved to get three points. It's often the sign of a good team when you don't play your best, win 2-0 and keep a clean sheet."
TEAM NEWS
• The match marked the first MLS start for Denilson, the World Cup-winning midfielder from Brazil who also played on Tuesday in the Open Cup match. All night, he made things happen and put FC Dallas into the lead with his 36th-minute penalty kick, his first MLS goal.
• "He nearly got on the end of a few things," Morrow said. "We just have to get used to the way Denilson plays. When he gets on the ball, we have to make runs. I think it will take a few games to adjust to that."
• It was the second consecutive game that Thompson converted from the spot. He knocked home a penalty in the 119th minute against Seattle that proved to be the goal that sent the Hoops into the Open Cup final. Thompson agreed that while the game wasn't pretty, the team was still pleased with the end result.
• "I thought he did a great job for the team tonight," Morrow said. "He held the ball up very well. He's always an option for us in the front. He looked dangerous in front of the goal and always works tremendously hard. I thought he made a big contribution."
• "We're pleased," Thompson said. "I wouldn't say it was our best effort but we still came away with the win and the shutout as well is a bonus. Hopefully we will look to build on this the rest of the season and heading into the playoffs."
• Carlos Ruiz was held out of the match as a precaution by Morrow. The Guatemalan international played 120 minutes on Tuesday and scored a goal in a 2-1 win against Seattle in their Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup semifinal and although the Hoops attack suffered, the FCD boss felt that he needed a break.
• "He came off a tough game on Tuesday where he had played over 100 minutes on turf," Morrow said. "He had a little niggling problem with his knee for the last couple of months and it felt particularly sore after that game. So, it was an easy decision for me to make to give him a little bit of a break."
• TFC had come into the game without a goal in 642 minutes, and left back David Wagenfuhr agreed that TFC put them under considerable pressure in the opening half. "They just lumped it forward and ran off," he said. "If they didn't win the first ball, they were going to win the second one. They didn't try to play pretty. They just tried to play in our half (of the field) and keep the pressure on us."
• Still, Morrow felt the approach caused his side some issues. "We certainly gave up a few more opportunities than I would have liked and at times, it was a bit uncomfortable," Morrow said. "They got the ball into the box a lot. I thought we needed to get a little more pressure on that first ball and stop the delivery in the first place. We could have done a better job in those situations of marking in the box. I thought we dealt well with their direct style for the most part."
