who had come on for an injured Claudio Reyna just seconds earlier -- hammered in a low cross from the right that took a slight deflection. Juan Pablo Angel was able to corral the ball and quickly fired home from just beyond the far post, his 10th goal of the league campaign and first in seven games.
• The Red Bulls put the game after the break. On a counter, Jozy Altidore slipped the ball to Angel on the right as the two raced toward goal. Angel tried to drive a low pass into the goalmouth; it took a deflection off a prone TFC defender and looped toward goal, Altidore putting on the final touch as it was crossing the line (50).
• Thirteen minutes later the duo again combined forces. Angel flicked on a long ball as Altidore raced into the area. He tapped the ball over a defender's head and around TFC goalkeeper Kenny Stamatopoulos, driving it into the unguarded goal for his fourth goal on the season.
• The shutout extended Toronto's scoreless streak to 462 minutes, the club's last goal coming July 7 in a 1-1 draw against the Chicago Fire. The streak is the fifth-longest without a goal in MLS history.
• Red Bulls manager Bruce Arena made two changes to the team that lost 2-1 to Chivas USA in their last match. Jeff Parke came back into the team in central defense and Chris Leitch moved out wide as Kevin Goldthwaite returned to the substitutes' bench. John Wolyniec also went to the bench as Dane Richards came back into a wide midfield role.
• Here's Arena's team (4-4-2): Jon Conway - Hunter Freeman, Jeff Parke, Seth Stammler, Chris Leitch - Dane Richards (Mike Magee 70), Claudio Reyna (Clint Mathis 22), Joe Vide,Dave van den Bergh (Sinisa Ubiparipovic 83) - Jozy Altidore, Juan Pablo Angel. Substitutes Not Used: Danny Cepero, Kevin Goldthwaite, Carlos Mendes, John Wolyniec
TEAM NEWS
• After going six league games scoring just two goals (and both from John Wolyniec), the strike pair of Juan Pablo Angel and Jozy Altidore combined for all three goals against Toronto. Angel scored the first, then he played a part in both of Altidore's.
• "I think our forwards worked very well today from the start creating chances either for themselves or for others. They had a good mentality today and they work well together. The last couple weeks, they've worked hard in training. Jozy is getting very comfortable with Juan. That was a really positive performance by our entire team but our forwards certainly played well today ...," said Arena. "Over the last six weeks, we are a team that hasn't scored a lot of goals and been that dangerous. Anytime you have a team with two forwards that can play with both of each other, be dangerous and score goals, you have a head start there."
• The two strikers are also getting comfortable with each other. "To me he takes on all the burden," Altidore said of Angel. "You just have to be around him to sniff out the balls that he wins and just connect from there. He's a real easy guy to play with." Said Angel: "We haven't played that much together. Today we found each other a couple of times, we scored a few goals and that's good. We have to build up a partnership in here."
• Helping the situation was the nearly three weeks since the last Red Bulls game. "In training all week they've really been linking up well and they're both a handful because of their physical presence," Claudio Reyna said. "Most teams have one big guy and another guy who kind or runs off them and is a little bit quicker, but I think when those two are playing up front, you have to put balls in the box and put defenders under pressure because they can cause havoc all day."
• Said Arena: "It was good for Jozy. He needed a little time off, but he is young and he recovers quickly. When the games are piled up on top of each other it's difficult. It was good for all of our players on the physical side. Perhaps on the mental side as well."
• Even though Carlos Mendes was available for duty, Arena chose to remain with Seth Stammler in the center of defense. Stammler had been thought of more as a defensive midfielder.
• "It was just a decision. He missed the Chivas game and he was sick a couple days before the game. I thought [Seth] Stammler played well in that center back position and we wanted to keep that position together, but we certainly still have plans for Carlos playing," Arena said. " ... I think Seth has to find a position were he can be solid game in, game out. I think he's been a bit of yo-yo for us because of the way we've had to juggle him around. I think his most natural position is center back; perhaps we can get him a little more experience there."
• Mike Magee came on for the final 20 minutes, making his first appearance since Oct. 7, 2006. But Reyna was forced off the field in the 22nd minute with a right groin sprain. It's his second groin injury of the year and there is no immediate timetable for his return.
• "I had it a little bit earlier in the week and it felt all right yesterday in training. With a few of the corners I felt it get worse and worse and I just wanted to come off. I didn't pull anything," Reyna said. "I know pretty much that I didn't pull anything and it's something that, if it calms down, it could be good in 2-3 days or it could be a couple weeks. Hopefully it's not too long."
LOS ANGELES GALAXY
The Los Angeles Galaxy saw their winless streak reach four games in league play, held scoreless for a third consecutive game as the New England Revolution scored the game's only goal in a victory Sunday afternoon at Gillette Stadium. The Galaxy now have 14 points from 15 matches, seven behind the fourth-place Colorado Rapids in the Western Conference but 12 behind Columbus in the chase for the final playoff spot in the overall MLS table.
LAST MATCH
• A sellout crowd was in attendance as the LA Galaxy played the third game in their week-long tour of the Eastern Conference. The Revolution had seen a five-game unbeaten streak come to an end the weekend before in a home loss to D.C. United, while the Galaxy hadn't won in three games, their last result also a loss to D.C. United.
• A flare-up of his ankle injury after making his MLS debut three days earlier left David Beckham out of the available gameday roster, while Frank Yallop also had key absences in defenders Troy Roberts (ankle) and Abel Xavier (leg) and midfielders Cobi Jones (hip) and Kyle Martino (suspended).
• The game's lone goal came in the 55th minute. Sharlie Joseph tried to slide a through ball between defenders to Taylor Twellman, and while Ty Harden tried to clear, he was unable to make solid contact. Twellman latched onto the bouncing ball and quickly turned and lashed home a left-footed shot from the heart of the area for his ninth goal on the campaign.
• Galaxy head coach Frank Yallop made four changes to the team that lost 1-0 to D.C. United three days earlier. Abel Xavier was out with a leg injury, Kelly Gray also out with a knock and Kyle Martino suspended as Peter Vagenas and Edson Buddle returned to the team and Mike Randolph made his first MLS start. Carlos Pavon also overcame illness to come back into the starting lineup for Alan Gordon.
• Here's Yallop's team (4-4-2): Joe Cannon - Chris Klein, Ty Harden, Ante Jazic, Mike Randolph - Quavas Kirk (Gavin Glinton 46), Kevin Harmse, Peter Vagenas, Landon Donovan - Edson Buddle, Carlos Pavon (Alan Gordon 66). Substitutes Not Used: Mike Caso, Steve Cronin, Josh Tudela, Kyle Veris
• "We're obviously disappointed with the loss; it's another loss. I felt especially second half we could have gotten something out of the match. But again, we missed chances that were crucial in the match," Yallop said. "You know, we weathered a storm early in the game where Taylor (Twellman) had quite a few chances early, but once we got ourselves into the game I felt at least we created some chances to score and played a lot better in the second half."
TEAM NEWS
• It was an injury-hit team that Yallop fielded against the Revolution. With Beckham and Xavier both unavailable, he had only six available substitutes.
• "We've got a few of the lads watching the game from upstairs. But I thought the guys that did come in and play did a good job," Yallop said. "We've got a few guys banged up but we don't make excuses. You just got to get on without them. Mike Randolph had a good game at left back. Peter (Vagenas) played well in the middle of the field, Edson Buddle and Carlos (Pavon) did pretty well as well, and there was a chance for other people to play. But we are a little bit short with numbers for the moment."
• After hitting for nine goals in three SuperLiga games, the Galaxy ended their three-game Eastern road swing without a solitary goal.
• "We've got players that can score goals; they're proven goal scorers. But I think we created some good chances tonight to at least get something on target with power and to score and we didn't," Yallop said. "I think Landon's (Donovan) chance was the one that really he's got to put in. He's knows it, he's sitting with his head between his legs at the moment saying 'I got to score that,' so we can only keep going and keep trying and keep doing the right things."
• With every reverse, the Galaxy see a possible playoff place slipping away. They enter the week 12 points behind eighth-place Columbus, who holds the final postseason berth, though they have played five fewer games.
• "I thought the response from the team was good. I felt that we didn't give up and we took it to the last whistle, which is important to note," Yallop said. "Obviously we need to start getting some wins in a hurry, but I think the signs were there at least the team didn't quit. They team was trying to do everything it could to get into the game."
• On Wednesday, David Beckham started for the first time with the Galaxy and his magic over 63 minutes led his new club to the SuperLiga final, in a 2-0 win against D.C. United at The Home Depot Center. After having all of the early play, United conceded a free kick some 24 yards straight out from goal, and Beckham whipped his effort over the left side of the wall inside the post to give the Galaxy the lead (27). Then two minutes after the halftime interval, Beckham slid an inch-perfect pass inside a defender for Landon Donovan to run onto, and the U.S. international finishing his breakaway with aplomb to double the lead, and eventually send the Galaxy into the final against Mexico's Pachuca.
• "His ability to see things, he's got a play in mind always before the ball gets to him," said Donovan about Beckham. "He makes good decisions on the ball. You don't see that on TV, but here when he's under pressure and he gets into tight areas he makes the right pass more often than not and gets the ball into dangerous positions. I was really impressed by that."
• Here's Yallop's team: Joe Cannon, Chris Klein, Ty Harden, Abel Xavier, Mike Randolph, Landon Donovan, David Beckham (Peter Vagenas 63), Kevin Harmse, Kyle Martino (Cobi Jones 71), Edson Buddle (Gavin Glinton 76), Carlos Pavon. Substitutes Not Used: Mike Caso, Steve Cronin, Josh Tudela, Kyle Veris
• Beckham has made a habit of these Hollywood-like beginnings. In his first competitive match at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu he scored a goal as well, hitting for Real Madrid in their Spanish SuperCup victory against Mallorca on Aug. 27, 2003. Then, three days later, he also scored on his league debut for Real, just two minutes into a 2-1 win against Real Betis.
• "We've all been waiting for that free kick. It was good to see him on the field in the jersey and start the game. We feel he's part of us now that he's played," said Yallop. "To get a goal to cap it off, it's a dream start for (Beckham). I'm very excited for him."
• Of the 30 goals the Galaxy had scored in all competitions coming into the SuperLiga match, none had been directly from a free kick. The last goal the Galaxy had scored directly from a free kick (not including penalties) was a Landon Donovan strike on Aug. 20, 2005 - vs. D.C. United.
• Beckham has been called into England's national team for their friendly next Wednesday against Germany, while Landon Donovan has been called into the USA's friendly against Sweden in Goteborg. Both players will attempt to return for the following day's SuperClasíco at The Home Depot Center against Chivas USA.
