Another playoff appearance, another first-round loss. Another game in Gillette Stadium, another loss. Once again the season came to an end for the New York Red Bulls in the opening round of the playoffs as Taylor Twellman scored the lone goal in the aggregate series, leading the New England Revolution to a 1-0 victory at Gillette Stadium Saturday night.
The game changed for the worst for the Red Bulls in an eight-minute span early in the second half. Four minutes after his downward header forced Matt Reis to make a save, Juan Pablo Angel was kneed in the jaw by Jay Heaps on a 50-50 challenge in midfield.
Angel, who finished second in the league in scoring and is an MLS MVP finalist, laid motionless on the turf for minutes before finally being helped to the sideline.
Still groggy on the sideline, Angel appealed to stay in the game, but was ultimately overruled when it was decided the Colombian international suffered a concussion.
But before the substitution was made, Twellman scored the winning goal. With New York playing a man down, New England won the ball off a Red Bulls throw in the offensive third and Shalrie Joseph worked his way up the field.
He hit Steve Ralston with a brilliant through ball and Ralston threaded a pass across the goal to Twellman. His initial shot was saved by Conway, but the momentum of the shot carried the ball in to put the Revs in front 1-0 in the 64th minute.
John Wolyniec came on for Angel and two minutes later Dema Kovalenko put a blast from 26 yards out over the crossbar. In the first minute of second-half stoppage time, Clint Mathis' rocket off a corner kick was pushed over the bar by Reis.
While the Revs played with the same lineup, there was one change to the Red Bulls starting XI from last Saturday's scoreless draw as Joe Vide replaced Francis Doe (abdominal injury). Vide played in the middle and Jozy Altidore was back on top with Angel.
But Bruce Arena was forced to make his first change before the half hour when Reyna limped off the turf with a right hamstring and was replaced by Mathis. With the change, the Red Bulls lost the ability to hold up the ball in the midfield.
The two teams played an even, scoreless first half with the Revolution holding the slightest edge in shots.
Ralston had the first scoring opportunity on 10 minutes after he beat Dave van den Bergh down the left and took a touch from Wells Thompson. But Ralston's shot from 12 yards out went wide of the far post.
Four minutes later, following a foul from Joseph on Altidore, Angel put a free kick from 35 yards out over the bar.
Thompson fed Pat Noonan in the 17th minute, but he chipped the ball wide of the far post.
There were shouts for a penalty in the 25th minute, but referee Abbey Okulaja ruled van den Bergh's shoulder challenge on Thompson by the end line was fair.
In the 28th minute, Angel's flicked header forced Matt Reis to dive to his left and push the ball out for a corner kick. Seth Stammler volleyed the ensuing corner over the net.
Both teams exchanged bookings after the half-hour as Joseph was given a yellow card for a harsh tackle on van den Bergh and Joe Vide was shown yellow for cutting down Joseph four minutes later.
The Red Bulls best scoring chance in the first half came in the 38th minute when Mathis rounded Avery John and found space in the box, but his shot from 12 yards out went off the outside side netting.
Two minutes later, Jon Conway dived to his right to stop Thompson's low bullet.
Down the home stretch, the Revolution sat in and tried to protect the slim margin. Mathis had the best chance in stoppage time when a corner fell to his feet, all alone in the area, but Reis pushed his rising shot over the bar and the Revolution survived to play host to the Chicago Fire in the Eastern Conference final Thursday night at Gillette Stadium.
Dylan Butler is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
