FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - On a night when New England Revolution midfielder Steve Ralston tied Carlos Valderrama for the all-time MLS assist record, the biggest assist went to Chivas USA goalkeeper Preston Burpo.
Burpo made eight saves, many of the spectacular variety, to preserve a 1-1 draw between the Revolution and Chivas USA at Gillette Stadium on Saturday night.
Claudio Suarez headed home the opener in the fifth minute from an Alex Zotinca corner kick. New England replied in the 64th minute through Andy Dorman after he side-volleyed home a Ralston corner kick. Ralston's assist tied him with Valderrama with 114 career assists in league play.
New England searched desperately for the game-winning goal as it dominated proceedings after halftime, but were punished for an abject first-half display in which Chivas USA were unlucky to score only once.
Chivas USA head coach Preki made three changes from Wednesday's 2-0 defeat against FC Dallas, inserting Ante Razov, Paulo Nagamura and Claudio Suarez for Laurent Merlin, John Cunliffe and Lawson Vaughn. Suarez returned after serving a one-match suspension for elbowing Adam Cristman in the first contest between these two sides.
Shalrie Joseph returned for the Revolution after shaking off a groin injury, while Gary Flood returned to the substitutes' bench.
It was a dream start for the visitors as they piled on the pressure from the first whistle and opened the scoring quickly.
After some slack play from the Revolution back line forced the ball out for a corner, Zotinca's swerving corner found Suarez. Suarez rose majestically over Jay Heaps and powered his header home past Matt Reis to open the scoring.
The tally should have been doubled three minutes later after Maykel Galindo turned Joseph on the right side of the penalty area. Galindo got to the byeline and crossed to the far post to an unmarked Razov at the far post. But Razov ballooned his header over the bar from six yards.
Razov had another chance in the ninth minute after Galindo shouldered Avery John off the ball and crossed into the veteran forward in the six-yard box. Razov directed his effort towards goal, but Reis stuck out his leg and denied the opportunity.
Chivas USA continued to dictate the tempo as the Revolution struggled to establish any sort of flow through midfield, but both teams struggled to carve out chances on goal as the first half progressed.
New England had its first honest crack on goal in the 36th minute. As Chivas USA protested a free kick decision in the right corner, Steve Ralston played the ball quickly to Joseph on the top of the penalty area, but Joseph's effort went narrowly over the bar.
Razov created a chance for Paulo Nagamura from a distant free kick, but Nagamura's shot was cradled by Reis in the 39th minute.
Adam Cristman spurned his side's best chance of the first stanza in the 41st minute. Joseph, looking spry upon his return, played a cheeky ball over the top onto the foot of Cristman. The rookie striker took it out of the air, but his effort was denied by Burpo's right knee.
New England went into the break disappointed with its first-half performance and brought on Khano Smith and Taylor Twellman within 10 minutes of the restart. The changes yielded dividends as the home side laid siege to the Chivas USA goal in the opening stages of the second half.
Ralston first clanged a powerful drive off the right post in the 57th minute after Burpo clumsily parried a shot from Heaps into his path.
But Burpo was more than up to the challenge to deny Twellman in the 59th minute. Twellman's shot was well-directed to the far corner, but Burpo dived to his right and deflected it away with his hand.
Substitute Merlin nearly struck on the counter a minute later, again after good work from Galindo near the byeline, but Merlin conjured to sky his effort over the bar from six yards.
Burpo bailed his side out again in the 61st minute, denying Twellman with his chest after Twellman smashed a Smith cross towards goal.
But the Revolution were not to be denied and found their equalizer three minutes later. Dorman side-volleyed home at the far post in the heart of the area from Ralston's corner kick to level the proceedings.
New England continued to press forward and utilize its dominance on the flanks to get service into the box but could not find the winner.
Smith created another chance from the left for Pat Noonan at the far post in the 83rd minute, but Burpo did well to save the ball and then throw it out of his hands as he fell backwards into the net.
Noonan headed the ball across the face of goal as the match entered stoppage time. Both Jay Heaps and Dorman were waiting unmarked at the far post, but Heaps' diving effort went high with Dorman waiting for the simple tap-in.
Kyle McCarthy is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
