The New England Revolution continued their dominance of Real Salt Lake at Rice-Eccles Stadium with a 2-1 win on Saturday.
Pat Noonan gave the Revolution a one-goal lead late in the first half, then when Andy Williams was sent off midway through the second, it seemed to have finished off the match. But Kyle Beckerman pulled the home side level with a penalty kick in the 72th minute, yet just 10 minutes later, a tremendous free kick from Jeff Larentowicz gave New England the victory, their third in three visits all-time to the Wasatch Front.
The home side controlled much of the rhythm for the opening 20 minutes of the match with the majority of play going on in the middle of the park. However, once New England got their first sniff at goal, the control shifted to the Revs.
That first scoring chance was created in the 23rd minute. Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis sent a long ball out of the back that just barely cleared RSL defender Ritchie Kotschau and fell in behind the Salt Lake defense for Noonan. The New England striker controlled the ball in stride and fired a close range blast that was deflected away by Salt Lake goalie Nick Rimando.
The Revs again tested Rimando in the 33rd on a strike from Andy Dorman. The central midfielder ran onto a pass from Wells Thompson and hit his shot first-time, requiring a diving save from Rimando to push it out of play.
The pressure paid off in the 39th minute when Noonan beat Rimando with another strike from close range. Larentowicz sent a high ball to the top of the box that Twellman leaped high to nod down for Noonan in the right of the area. After a quick cut back to his left to throw off his marker, Noonan pounded a rising shot into the back the net.
Following the intermission, literally in the 46th minute, the Revs nearly doubled their lead. Shalrie Joseph found himself on the end of a long string of quick passes strung efficiently down field by New England. Joseph ran across the top of the penalty area to hit a shot from the restraining arc, but it went well over the crossbar.
Maintaining the one-goal lead was a total team effort for the Revolution. Thompson tracked back from midfield to stifle a breakaway from Kyle Beckerman. Thompson slowed Beckerman down before Reis dove in to snag the ball away.
In the following minute Jay Heaps slid to clear away a bouncing cross from Jean-Martial Kipre. The cross from Salt Lake defender made it all the way across the New England goalmouth before Heaps knocked it high and away from danger.
Then a couple of minutes later Michael Parkhurst saved the day. Robbie Findley came charging into the New England penalty area, narrowly beating Heaps. Just as Findley was getting around Heaps, Parkhurst stepped in to strip the ball away from the RSL attacker.
Joseph was narrowly missed another scoring chance in the 61st minute. He got his head on a free kick, redirecting it just over the bar.
Second-half substitute Khano Smith rocked the goal just minutes after coming on for Thompson. A high switching ball found Smith just inside the corner of the area from where the midfielder launched a volley that hit the inside corner, where the crossbar meets the post, but the ball did not manage to fall behind the line.
In the 67th minute, RSL went a man down when Dorman was on the receiving end of a clumsy foul from Williams. The RSL midfielder recklessly flew into Dorman, taking out his legs and causing him to fall awkwardly. Referee Michael Kennedy did not hesitate as he reached into his pocket and presented a straight red to Williams.
But Salt Lake drew level in the 72nd minute as Talley buried his chance from the penalty spot. The penalty was awarded to the home side after Heaps clipped Beckerman as he rushed into the box to get onto the end of a quick square pass.
The match didn't stay tied for long as Larentowicz scored on a rocket of a free kick in the 82nd minute. Noonan was battling outside the top of the area before he was brought down by Talley. Larentowicz stepped up and launched a rocket past the left side of the wall and inside the far post to put the Revs back on top.
The speed of play intensified as the home side pushed for an equalizer and the Revs trying to catch the RSL defense too far forward. Twellman missed by inches from long range in the 87th minute. Then at the other end, Beckerman directed a header for Salt Lake that beat Reis but skimmed off the top of the crossbar.
Scott McAllister is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
