CARSON, Calif. - Taylor Twellman's second goal of the game and league-leading sixth of the season answered a late equalizer by the Los Angeles Galaxy and gave the New England Revolution a 3-2 victory Saturday night at The Home Depot Center.
With the victory, the Revs moved past Kansas City - 2-1 losers to FC Dallas - into the Eastern Conference's top spot.
Adam Cristman scored his first career MLS goal in the 47th minute to tie the match after Kyle Martino had given the Galaxy a halftime edge. Twellman found the back of the net five minutes later to give the Revolution the lead. The Galaxy, though, leveled terms in the 84th minute when Tyrone Marshall scored but Twellman answered one minute later to give the Revs the final margin of victory.
The Revs also maintained their spot atop the team goalscoring charts. The Revs have now scored 14 goals on the season.
Early on, the Revs tried to put a physical stamp on the match. James Riley flattened Landon Donovan in the center of the field and picked up a yellow card.
The visitors also had the first scoring chance of the match. Khano Smith sent a pass to the front of the six-yard box. Twellman flicked it on but, with a gaping goal in front of him, an unmarked Cristman fanned on the shot.
Galaxy midfielder Peter Vagenas set up the game's first goal in the 14th minute. Vagenas found space in the center of the field some 35 yards out from goal. He split a pair of defenders with an angled pass to the corner of the penalty area. Martino raced in behind Revs defender Jay Heaps and curled a right-footed shot past Matt Reis inside the far post.
The Galaxy nearly doubled their lead three minutes later. Donovan carried the ball into the right side of the penalty area as he shook off Riley, but pushed a shot wide of the far post.
Cristman nearly atoned for his open miss. In the 21st minute, he charged into the penalty area and ripped a shot on the corner of the six-yard box. Galaxy rookie defender Ty Harden slid in an attempt to send the ball over the end line but nearly knocked it over the goal line. Harden's sliding clearance attempt instead grazed the near post and hit the outside of the net.
The Revolution then nearly pulled level again, if not for the heroics of Martino in his own goal. From a corner, Twellman put a solid attempt on target, and as he fell to the ground trying to gather the ball on the bounce, it somehow eluded Galaxy goalkeeper Joe Cannon. But Martino, on his own line, calmly touched it away for Cannon to safely gather in his arms.
Galaxy defender Tyrone Marshall was booked after elbowing Cristman in the center of the field in the 41st minute. Twellman sprang Cristman with a pass and the rookie forward had space but Marshall leveled him with an elbow.
Marshall set up another Revolution free kick minutes later when he fouled Shalrie Joseph some 25 yards out. Andy Dorman put the free kick on goal but Galaxy goalkeeper Joe Cannon was in good position to stop the shot.
The Revs equalized early in the second half. In the 47th minute, Dorman knocked a 35-yard free kick to the center of the penalty area. Steve Ralston flicked the ball on to the right post, and with his back to goal Cristman swung his leg around and slammed the shot just inside the right post.
For Ralston, on a night he was making his 318th league appearance, taking over the all-time lead from Chris Henderson, it was his league-leading sixth assist, giving him 113 for his career. That is just one behind Carlos Valderrama for the all-time MLS lead.
Twellman put the Revs ahead in the 52nd minute. Heaps sent a high-arching pass to the penalty area. Twellman jumped over Harden and headed a shot toward goal. The ball hit the crossbar and bounced back to Twellman, who easily headed the ball into an open net.
The Galaxy countered with a pair of offensive-minded substitutes. Nate Jaqua came on for Vagenas in the 57th minute while Cobi Jones entered the match in the 63rd minute in place of rookie forward Robbie Findley.
The Revs made their first move of the match in the 72nd minute when veteran forward Pat Noonan replaced Cristman.
In the 74th minute, Revs goalkeeper Matt Reis was booked for dissent after he furiously protested a foul. Jaqua knocked down Revs midfielder Jeff Larentowicz inside the Revolution penalty area and Reis apparently argued that Jaqua should have been booked.
Galaxy defender Chris Albright nearly scored in the 84th minute but Heaps cleared his 15-yard attempt off the line. But from the ensuing corner kick, Marshall hit a glancing header from the near post past Reis and into the back of the net.
But one minute later, Twellman answered. Joseph fed Noonan inside the penalty area and Noonan crossed the ball to the left side of the goal. Twellman dove and knocked the ball into the Galaxy goal to give the Revolution the victory.
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
