MetroStars midfielder Amado Guevara scored two minutes after New England rookie Clint Dempsey netted his first career MLS goal Sunday afternoon as the New England Revolution (0-2-1, 1 pt.) earned their first points of the season in a 1-1 road tie with the MetroStars (2-0-1, 7 pts.) at Giants Stadium. It was the first matchup between the two teams since the Revolution eliminated the MetroStars in the MLS Cup Playoff Eastern Conference semifinal last year.
The Revolution opened the scoring in the 11th minute on a corner kick taken by Joe-Max Moore from the left side. At the far post Revolution right back Jay Heaps headed the ball down for Dempsey who sent a right-footed, first-time shot from the top of the six-yard box inside the right post for his first professional goal.
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But the visitors' lead only lasted two minutes as the MetroStars used their quick passing combinations to equalize. A cross from an inspired Eddie Gaven from the right side of the box fell perfectly to forward Fabian Taylor in the penalty area but the Jamaican international flailed on the pass, knocking the ball back toward a wide open Amado Guevara. The Honduran National Team midfielder had the time and space to tee up an accurate, curling right-footed shot which found the top right corner of the goal for his second goal of the year.
The first half was played at a fast and entertaining pace with the MetroStars increasingly dominating the proceedings and emerging with a 10-3 shots advantage. The MetroStars threatened on long-distance efforts but the most dangerous of the opportunities featured Argentine-Colombian forward and former Once Caldas (Colombia) leading scorer Sergio Galvan Rey, who was making his first career MLS appearance. In the 16th minute Galvan Rey lobbed a header which a backtracking goalkeeper Adin Brown was forced to tip over the bar. Brown was again up to the task in the 42nd minute as he made an acrobatic stop on a close-range Galvan Rey attempt.
The MetroStars maintained the initiative and ball control in the second half, but were unable to create major threats to Brown's goal as the makeshift Revolution back line held strong. In a second half which was played at a decidedly slower pace, long-distance shots by Guevara in the 63rd and 78th minutes proved the most dangerous scoring opportunities for the home side until the final 10 minutes of the match.
Brown preserved the result for the Revolution with several key saves in the final stages of the match. He stopped a searing shot by Joselito Vaca in the 80th minute and made a miraculous stop in the 88th minute, using his full 6-foot-5 frame to parry a deflected Gaven shot in the box.
The Revolution, who came closest to scoring on a deflected Taylor Twellman shot in the 86th minute that finished over the crossbar, nearly claimed all three points in second-half stoppage time. The chance fell to Heaps, who fired a shot near the top of the box which was deflected through a crowded penalty area and just missed the right post.
MetroStars head coach Bob Bradley gave forwards Galvan Rey and reigning Honda MLS Player of the Week Fabian Taylor their first starts of the season, while Trinidadian striker Cornell Glen made his first MLS appearance as as second-half substitute.
The Revolution presented a makeshift back line as regular midfielders Shalrie Joseph and Brian Kamler paired up as central defenders with the absence of Daouda Kante (right knee sprain) and Rusty Pierce (right quadriceps contusion). Dempsey replaced Joseph in a midfield which missed the playmaking skills of Jose Cancela, who sat out the match due to a right calf strain. Offseason acquisition Richie Baker also made his first MLS appearance as a second-half substitute.
Jonny Walker (MetroStars), Eddie Pope (MetroStars), Pat Noonan (New England Revolution) and Twellman (New England Revolution) will all join the U.S. national team for the international match against Mexico at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on Wednesday. MetroStars players Craig Ziadie (Jamaica) and Guevara (Honduras) will also be involved in matches with their respective national teams on Wednesday - a FIFA international match date.
The MetroStars return to action next Saturday when they travel to Soldier Field to meet the Chicago Fire (8:30 p.m. ET). The Revolution will also play on May 1 when they return to Gillette Stadium to host the undefeated Los Angeles Galaxy (7:30 p.m. ET).
MLSnet.com Man of the Match: Adin Brown (New England Revolution)
Scoring Summary:
NE -- Clint Dempsey 1 (Jay Heaps 1, Joe-Max Moore 2) 12
MET -- Amado Guevara 2 (unassisted) 14
New England Revolution -- Adin Brown, Jay Heaps, Shalrie Joseph, Brian Kamler, Marshall Leonard, Steve Ralston, Clint Dempsey, Joe-Max Moore (Richie Baker 86), Joe Franchino, Pat Noonan, Taylor Twellman.
Substitutes Not Used: Daouda Kante, Matt Reis, Luke Vercollone.
TOTAL SHOTS: 12 (Taylor Twellman 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (Joe Franchino 2); FOULS: 15 (Shalrie Joseph 4); OFFSIDES: 3 (Taylor Twellman 3); CORNER KICKS: 8 (Steve Ralston 4); SAVES: 9 (Adin Brown 9)
MetroStars -- Jonny Walker, Craig Ziadie, Jeff Parke, Eddie Pope, Chris Leitch, Joselito Vaca, Ricardo Clark (Mark Lisi 67), Amado Guevara, Eddie Gaven, Sergio Galvan Rey (John Wolyniec 72), Fabian Taylor (Cornell Glen 79).
Substitutes Not Used: Tenywa Bonseu, Michael Bradley, Joey DiGiamarino, Mike Magee, Tim Regan, Zach Wells.
TOTAL SHOTS: 21 (Amado Guevara 6); SHOTS ON GOAL: 10 (Amado Guevara 4); FOULS: 5 (5 tied with 1); OFFSIDES: 4 (Sergio Galvan Rey 3); CORNER KICKS: 13 (Amado Guevara 8); SAVES: 2 (Jonny Walker 2)
Misconduct Summary:
NE -- Shalrie Joseph (caution; Professional Foul) 31
NE -- Joe-Max Moore (caution; Pushing, Holding) 68
Referee: Kevin Stott
Referee's Assistants: -Chris Strickland; Emiliano Monje
4th Official: Tony Crush
Attendance: 8,129
Time of Game: 1:50
Weather: Rain-and-47-degrees
