win a game at Gillette Stadium.
On a first-half goal by Seth Stammler and a solid defensive effort, the Red Bulls appeared set to snap a 13-game winless streak in Foxborough. That is until Steve Ralston, who was pushed up front by New England coach Steve Nicol, scored the equalizer for the Revs in the 79th minute in a 1-1 draw Wednesday night.
Despite giving up the late tying goal, the Red Bulls earned a point away from home -- only their fourth of the year -- bouncing back from a humiliating 4-1 loss against D.C. United Saturday night at RFK Stadium. It was a vastly improved effort against a Revolution side that came into the match undefeated in six consecutive games and has the league's best record.
Playing its second of three games in a 10-game stretch and after a terrible performance at RFK Stadium, Juan Carlos Osorio promised changes to his starting lineup and he delivered in a big way.
There were five new players in the Red Bulls' starting XI from Saturday's loss. Mike Magee replaced Luke Sassano as the attacking midfielder, while Sinisa Ubiparipovic played on the left side of midfield with Dave van den Bergh moving to left fullback.
Dane Richards and Oscar Echeverry partnered up front, Carlos Mendes played as a defensive midfielder and Kevin Goldthwaite slid centrally, replacing Jeff Parke, who got a well-earned rest ahead of Saturday's home game against FC Dallas.
Mendes did a spectacular job marking Ralston out of much of the game as Osorio's diamond formation in the middle shut down the Revs' central midfield. But one defensive breakdown proved costly for New York, which extended its winless streak at Gillette Stadium to 0-10-4 since winning there June 29, 2002.
Jay Heaps was given time to serve a ball to the back post, where Kheli Dube knocked it down to an unmarked Ralston, who took the ball off his chest and pushed it past Jon Conway in the 79th minute.
The Red Bulls scored the game's first goal in the 37th minute. With Mauricio Castro lying prone on the turf, the Red Bulls pushed up the field after Jon Conway distributed a long ball to van den Bergh. The Dutch midfielder took a few touches and sent a great ball to the far post. Stammler's first-time attempt at the edge of the six-yard box bounced past Matt Reis for his fourth career goal.
Castro, who appeared to have twisted awkwardly, was taken off the field on a stretcher and was replaced by Wells Thompson in the 40th minute. Castro was diagnosed with a right oblique strain.
A brilliant run by Dane Richards could have set up a second goal, but Oscar Echeverry rolled a shot wide of the target in the 44th minute. Two minutes into first-half stoppage time Magee forced Reis to dive to his right to save a low shot.
Van den Bergh nearly mad it 2-0 in the 51st minute, but his free kick from 24 yards out was just wide to Reis' left.
After colliding with Reis on a loose ball in the box, Richards limped off the field, replaced by Chris Megaloudis, who made his MLS debut in the 55th minute fresh off scoring his second international goal for Puerto Rico Saturday night in a 2-2 draw against Honduras.
John Wolyniec came on for Echeverry in the 62nd minute for the Red Bulls' second change and Sassano replaced Magee in the 89th minute for Osorio's final substitution.
Conway came up with a pair of stellar saves one minute from full tie, diving to his left to save an open Ralston header and then got a hand on Dube's rebound attempt.
With just one win in their last six games, the Red Bulls, which held on desperately for the precious road point, return home Saturday night to take on FC Dallas.
Dylan Butler is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
