making just his second start in MLS -- broke into the penalty area on the left before launching a low shot that Revolution 'keeper Matt Reis could only parry. It came back out to Jason Garey, who gleefully pumped home the rebound for his second league goal.
Then in the 29th minute the Crew doubled their lead through nearly identical circumstances. Virtuoso hit a sharply angled cross from the left, which Reis pushed out just ahead of Garey's slide into the goal area. The rebound bounded out to Eddie Gaven, and he drove home the rebound from the heart of the area.
The Crew finished off the victory eight minutes from full time. A good movement in the Revolution penalty area saw the ball laid back to Ezra Hendrickson outside the area, but his initial shot was blocked by New England's Steve Ralston. But the rebound bounced back out to the lanky defender, and he hammered the ball back inside the right-hand post.
Revolution boss Steve Nicol made two changes to the team that defeated the Crew 1-0 the Sunday before in Foxborough. Clint Dempsey returned from suspension, coming into attack in place of Willie Sims, and Shalrie Joseph was suspended, meaning Joe Franchino could return from disciplinary action.
Here's Nicol's team (3-4-1-2): Matt Reis - Jay Heaps, Michael Parkhurst, James Riley - Steve Ralston, Joe Franchino, Jeff Larentowicz, Andy Dorman - Jose Cancela (Khano Smith 65) - Clint Dempsey, Taylor Twellman. [Substitutes Not Used: Kyle Brown, Daniel Hernandez, Avery John, Tony Lochhead, Willie Sims, Doug Warren]
"We made crucial errors at the back, and that cost us goals and we were not taking our chances," Nicol said. "Teams are not slicing us open, and that means we can definitely get better. We made four positional changes in this game and we had 21 chances on goal, so we can't be that far away."
TEAM NEWS
It was a second heavy defeat of the season for the Revolution, who lost 4-0 to FC Dallas on May 20. "We just gave goals away," said Nicol with disgust. "They were just feeding off our mistakes ... We're chasing the game, all the time. We can't play catch up ... We're never going to win games that way."
Said Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis: "They had a lot of chances. We gave them a lot of chances. We didn't take care of the ball well enough and that gave them easy opportunities on the break. In the first 10 or 15 minutes, the game was over."
It was also a fifth time this season that the Revolution have allowed three or more goals in a game. A year ago, it happened just twice - and the Revolution won one of those (defeating D.C. United 4-3, while losing 5-4 to the MetroStars. The best New England has done this year is the 3-3 draw in Chicago on June 11 when they scored three goals after the 87th minute.
"I think a lot more teams are playing three players up top. I don't mind covering a guy one-on-one but that doesn't allow me to give cover to anyone else," center back and 2005 Rookie of the Year Michael Parkhurst said. "When teams play two forwards up top I can pick up a midfielder running through or help out Jay (Heaps) and James (Riley). When there are three up there I can't do that. That has been a bigger challenge this year."
Said Nicol: "I think Parkhurst in the last two or three months has been excellent. If you asked me to pick defenders from any of the teams I would certainly have him. We just have slipped up and I don't think it is through (he and Riley) being second-year pros."
The Revolution had Clint Dempsey back after his two-match suspension. Forward Pat Noonan, who has missed two games in a row, returning to training during the week. But striker Willie Sims is out with a rib injury suffered in a reserve division match.
The Revolution have scored just one goal in their last four league games, and have won just once over the last two months, going 1-3-4 since a July 8 win at Chicago.
"We don't want to go into the playoffs just making it because other teams keep losing and we keep losing and we stay in third because nobody can get points," Parkhurst said. "We want to go in with a good run under our belts and confident. If we make the playoffs anything can happen. We definitely want to go in there on a high, that's for sure."
NEW YORK RED BULLS
The New York Red Bulls have still won just once in Bruce Arena's time in charge of the club, falling for the second time in a 2-1 loss to the Chicago Fire at Toyota Park on Sunday evening. The Red Bulls have 29 points from 25 matches and still sit in fifth place in the Eastern Conference, a point behind the Kansas City Wizards and two behind the New England Revolution, just three points ahead of sixth-place Columbus.
LAST MATCH
The Fire were looking to keep their four-game league unbeaten streak rolling while regaining second place in the Eastern Conference, while the New York Red Bulls were playing the second game of a three-game road swing, hoping to build on a 2-2 draw in Kansas City.
But the visitors gifted the Men in Red goals in each half through nearly identical circumstances. In the 13th minute, Chris Rolfe picked off a pass between Red Bulls defenders and raced in at goal, firing a low shot from just outside the area past Tony Meola for his fifth goal on the campaign.
Then on the hour mark, it was nearly a mirror image. This time Diego Gutierrez claimed a pass sent back toward the New York goal and raced in alone, powering a low drive home from outside the box to double the lead.
The Red Bulls pulled a goal back in the 78th minute. A cross from the right was met by Dema Kovalenko, but Zach Thornton turned aside his first-time effort at full stretch. But John Wolyniec nipped in to tap home the rebound for his third goal in as many games; still it wasn't enough.
Arena made three changes to the team that saw the Kansas City Wizards come back to claim a 2-2 draw the Wednesday before at Arrowhead Stadium. Joe Vide made his first MLS start and Seth Stammler and Chris Henderson also returned, coming into the team in place of Danny O'Rourke, Youri Djorkaeff and Edson Buddle.
Here's Arena's team (4-4-1-1): Tony Meola - Marvell Wynne, Carlos Mendes, Jeff Parke, Todd Dunivant - Joe Vide (Blake Camp 89), Dema Kovalenko, Seth Stammler, Chris Henderson (Edson Buddle 59) - Amado Guevara - John Wolyniec. [Substitutes Not Used: Jordan Cila, Jon Conway, Taylor Graham, Steve Jolley, Jerrod Laventure]
"We were obviously burned on two mistakes. Amado [Guevara] giving away a goal in the first half, Seth Stammler in the second half and give the Fire credit, they jumped on those mistakes and converted them into goals," Arena said. "I think at times tonight we were a little sloppy with the ball but I thought we responded quite well in the second half and despite giving up that second goal, we had a pretty good second half and showed a lot of character. I think the referee might have been able to give us a penalty kick on a couple of plays but it didn't happen."
TEAM NEWS
Arena struggled to put together a team for the Fire match. Youri Djorkaeff was out with back spasms and Edson Buddle was suffering a groin injury, while Danny O'Rourke was out to suspension.
"We were joking around today about how tough it's going to be to put together a starting 11," Arena said. "This isn't a new problem for us so we can't use it as an excuse if we don't play well."
Mike Magee had come back enough from a knee injury that had cost him three matches to sit on the bench, though he was an unused substitute. Seth Stammler returned to the lineup after missing the last two matches to a knee contusion.
In addition, Vide was told of his first start just hours before kickoff. He was the first pick by the then-MetroStars (No. 5 overall) in the MLS Supplemental Draft.
"I was nervous at first, then I settled down," said Vide to the Newark Star-Ledger. "I completed a few passes early and got some confidence."
The Red Bulls were looking to come away with a minimum of four points from their current three-game road trip. After a tie with Kansas City and the loss to the Bulls, they have just one from the first two games - making the Revolution yet another must-win game.
"Like I said, we wanted to at least win or tie a game on the road on this three-game road trip and now we have to go to New England," said Tony Meola. "We have to approach everything like a playoff game."
John Wolyniec extended his goalscoring streak to three games, all since moving into the starting lineup after his return to the New York club in a trade from the Los Angeles Galaxy.
"He is great to play with because he is always hungry for the goal," Amado Guevara said to the North Jersey Herald News. "He is always moving and putting himself in good position so you know you have to be ready to get the ball to him."
