Every time the New England Revolution reach the MLS Cup Final, expectations rise, hope renews and memories fade.
But after the game and the loss, the hope and expectation disappear into disappointment and bewilderment.
"We're all devastated," Revs captain Steve Ralston said after his team lost 2-1 to Houston Dynamo in a rematch of last year's title game. "There's not much to say."
The hope in this game started in the foundations laid before the match. Everything seemed to fit together for the Revs this time around. Ricardo Clark and Brian Ching weren't on the field. Every key New England player felt fit and ready to play.
Hope rose when Taylor Twellman nodded home after 20 minutes, the Revs continued to create chances, and Houston struggled to get a look into the game.
"They've all been rough," Heaps said of his team's losses. "But this was our opportunity."
Opportunity fled the scene when Joseph Ngwenya managed to get a second chance on a goal New England head coach Steve Nicol called "scrappy." After Dwayne De Rosario pulled the ball back from the end line, Ngwenya whiffed at the first attempt before the ball bounced onto his foot in order to tuck home.
"That's a striker's luck," Revs defender Avery John said.
Luck has always deserted the Revolution in these games. Though De Rosario's winner from a curving Brad Davis cross needed none, Pat Onstad's kick save of Jeff Larentowicz's point-blank header four minutes from the end required a hefty dose of it.
The turn of events left the Revolution locker room stunned and asking how such a bright start could fade into such a regrettable finale.
Winger Khano Smith said that he didn't think Dynamo had many opportunities. Shalrie Joseph agreed with that assessment, but added one devastating caveat.
"We made a couple of mental mistakes," Joseph said.
Nicol said his team should have converted the chances they generated in a game more open than in previous Revolution finals.
"You don't leave a team hanging around at 1-nil," Nicol said.
But looking back and seeing how things could have, should have been won't erase those feelings of hurt and bewilderment expressed around the dejected locker room
Defender Jay Heaps said he had trouble expressing exactly how this latest setback felt, while midfielder Andy Dorman shook his head, looked off into space and displayed the thorough transformation from hope to despair.
"I don't know how to feel or what to do," Dorman said.
Kyle McCarthy is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
