Preview: After dramatic comebacks, Dallas visit reeling Revs

The New England Revolution return to Gillette Stadium to take on FC Dallas when the clubs meet Saturday evening. The Revolution saw their winless streak reach seven games as they were once again pegged back with a late equalizer, Philadelphia Union overturning a three-goal deficit for a 4-4 draw on Wednesday. FC Dallas return to action after a stunning comeback of their own last time out, coming back with two late goals for a 3-2 win at Sporting Kansas City.

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REFEREE: Baldomero Toledo. SAR (bench): Fabio Tovar; JAR (opposite): Ian Anderson; 4th: Jose Carlos Rivero
MLS Career: 118 games; FC/gm: 24.9; Y/gm: 3.6; R: 46; pens: 47

INJURY REPORT: NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION – OUT: MF Stephen McCarthy (L shoulder subluxation); MF Sainey Nyassi (R knee MCL sprain); QUESTIONABLE: DF Otto Loewy (L groin pain) ... FC DALLAS – OUT: DF Edson Edward (R knee ACL tear); MF David Ferreira (R ankle); FW Fabian Castillo (pelvis); MF Bruno Guarda (L ankle)

INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none

SUSPENDED: DAL: Ugo Ihemelu (caution accumulation; through Sept. 10)

WARNINGS:

SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: NE: Pat Phelan ... DAL: Daniel Hernandez, George John, Andrew Jacobson, Brek Shea
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: NE: Milton Caraglio, Ryan Cochrane, Franco Coria, Shalrie Joseph, Rajko Lekic, Kenny Mansally, Stephen McCarthy ... DAL: Marvin Chavez, Jeremy Hall, Zach Loyd

HEAD-TO-HEAD

ALL-TIME (36 meetings): Revolution 22 wins (1 shootout), 63 goals... FC Dallas 11 wins (1 shootout), 46 goals...Ties 3
AT NEW ENGLAND (17 meetings): Revolution 11 wins (1 shootout), 35 goals ... FC Dallas 5 wins (1 shootout), 24 goals ... Ties 1
In the first meeting between the teams, Marvin Chavez scored the game's lone goal in the 69th minute as FC Dallas won June 4 at Pizza Hut Park.
The win in the first meeting was just the second FC Dallas win all-time in seven games vs. the Revolution at Pizza Hut Park, and the first since 2006.
FC Dallas last won in New England in 2003, a 2-1 win on July 16. The Revolution had won six consecutive home games vs. FCD before last year's 1-1 draw in Foxborough.
Coaches record: Steve Nicol vs. DAL: P20 W13 L5 D2 ... Schellas Hyndman vs. NE: P5 W2 L1 D2

LAST MEETING (MLS)

6/4: DAL 1, NE 0 (Chavez 69)
The game's lone goal came in the 69th minute. Marvin Chavez rounded his defender after a run down the right flank and cut toward the near post. He slotted a low shot from a narrow angle that beat Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis on the short side.
FCD goalkeeper Kevin Hartman recorded his MLS-record 100th career shutout, stopping two shots in the process.
FC DALLAS (4-4-2): Kevin Hartman - Zach Loyd, George John, Ugo Ihemelu, Jair Benitez - Eric Alexander (Milton Rodriguez 67), Andrew Jacobson, Daniel Hernandez, Brek Shea - Marvin Chavez (Eric Avila 92+), Fabian Castillo (Bobby Warshaw 79).
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION (4-2-3-1): Matt Reis - Kevin Alston, A.J. Soares, Ryan Cochrane, Didier Domi (Darrius Barnes 59) - Stephen McCarthy (Sainey Nyassi 70), Ousmane Dabo (Pat Phelan 53) - Zak Boggs, Shalrie Joseph, Chris Tierney - Rajko Lekic.

NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION

The New England Revolution had their winless streak extended to seven games in heartbreaking circumstances, seeing a three-goal lead in the second half evaporate in a 4-4 draw with Philadelphia Union on Wednesday evening at PPL Park. The Revolution have 24 points from 27 matches, now in a tie for eighth place in the Eastern Conference.

LAST MATCH

The Revolution opened the lead after just nine minutes when rookie A.J. Soares headed home a free kick from near the right corner flag from Chris Tierney. Then 12 minutes later, the lead was 2-0 when Stefani Miglioranzi was whistled for a foul on New England's Rajko Lekic just inside the penalty area, who then deposited the ensuing penalty kick.
The Revs made it 3-0 in the 26th minute when Tierney put in another cross, this time from the left touchline, and found the head of an unmarked Moncef Zerka to nod home with ease. But the Union brought a goal back just two minutes later when Roger Torres made a quick cutback at the edge of the area and blasted a shot past Revs goalkeeper Matt Reis.
In the 33rd minute, New England again made the lead three as Benny Feilhaber took a pass from Lekic just outside the box and drove a long-range shot past a diving Zac MacMath into his bottom right-hand corner of the net.
Union began their fightback in the 54th minute, when Danny Mwanga sprung Adu into the box with a well-weighted pass at the end of a long move, and the midfielder calmly took a touch before netting from a tight angle on the left. Union then made it 4-3 when Le Toux was taken down in the box while going for a header, and he buried his own penalty kick.
The comeback was completed two minutes into stoppage time. Carlos Valdes pushed the ball back into the mixer in the area, Veljko Paunovic deflected it back, and Le Toux thumped a volley inside the right-hand post for the tying goal.
Revolution head coach Steve Nicol made three changes to the team that allowed a late equalizer for a 2-2 draw with the New York Red Bulls at Gillette Stadium. Matt Reis came back from suspension for Bobby Shuttleworth, and Moncef Zerka and Chris Tierney started in midfield for Zak Boggs and the suspended Kenny Mansally.
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION (4-4-2): Matt Reis - Kevin Alston, Ryan Cochrane (Franco Coria 75), A.J. Soares, Darrius Barnes - Moncef Zerka (Ryan Guy 65), Shalrie Joseph, Benny Feilhaber, Chris Tierney - Rajko Lekic (Pat Phelan 58), Milton Caraglio.

TEAM NEWS

It was a third consecutive draw and fifth in the seven-game winless run for the Revolution, but it was also the third consecutive game where they've conceded the game-tying goal after the 85th minute.
"It's going to be tough – I'm not going to lie. This one stings more than the last couple. We've been leading 2-1, 1-0 games and giving up that late goal, it hurts a lot," said Shalrie Joseph. "Hopefully we'll pick our heads up in the next couple of days and be ready for Dallas on the weekend. But this one definitely hurt a lot more than the last ones."
The four goals were a season-high for the Revolution, the most since a 4-1 home win vs. Toronto FC on April 10, 2010. In that game, the Revolution also scored all four goals in a half – in the second half on that occasion.
"When you score four goals in a game you expect to win. But, they put a lot of pressure on us in the second half," said Revolution head coach Steve Nicol. "The second goal is always an important goal in a game. The third goal was on a silly challenge. ... Don't get me wrong here: when you are up 4-1, you should not lose a game. Both teams' defense was garbage tonight."
It was the fifth time in MLS history a club overcame a deficit of three goals to gain a point, matching the largest in MLS history – and the second this season (also: Vancouver 4, Kansas City 4, April 2). All five matches ended in draws, though the first – a May 4, 1996 meeting between the MetroStars and Tampa Bay, concluded with a shootout win for the Mutiny.
"I mean we were sitting back basically. It was pretty clear they were basically attacking us the whole time," said A.J. Soares. "You know if you don't deal with one ball, you make one little slip, they're going to score a goal. That's the tough thing. You know you can absorb the pressure well, we did well most of the time but the three times we didn't do well they scored goals. We got to do better than that next time."
Monsef Zerka made his MLS debut and scored his first goal in the league, playing as a right-sided midfielder.
Rajko Lekic made his second consecutive start and scored his fifth goal with the Revolution, his second from the penalty spot. Nicol opened the second half with Milton Caraglio as a lone striker; Lekic came off for Pat Phelan for the game's final half hour.
"Both of them were playing well together. We thought Milton had a little extra burst at that point," Nicol said.

FC DALLAS

FC Dallas put an end to their winless skid at three games, coming back for a dramatic 3-2 victory against Sporting Kansas City on Aug. 27 at Livestrong Sporting Park. FCD has 46 points from 26 games on the season, now in third place in the Western Conference.

LAST MATCH

Sporting took the lead in the 22nd minute. Kei Kamara picked off a pass deep in the FC Dallas end and raced into the box unmolested, sending a low drive just inside the back post.
KC then doubled their lead at three-quarter mark of the match. Teal Bunbury broke free on the right and bounced the ball directly into the path of Omar Bravo at the back post for a simple tap-in.
But the advantage didn't last two minutes. From a free kick out of the left, Daniel Hernandez served the ball into the area where it just cleared the head of Ugo Ihemelu and squirted through the goalmouth, past KC goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen and inside the back post.
The home side then went down a man in the 76th minute when Bunbury shoved FCD's Jair Benítez, collecting his second yellow of the match and receiving his marching orders from referee Chris Penso.
The visitors took advantage in the 89th minute. Brek Shea found space on the left flank and curled in a cross that found Maicon Santos, who powered his downward header in the side netting.
Then in stoppage time, Shea got free again on the left side and drove in another cross, this time finding substitute Bobby Warshaw streaking toward goal and he nodded home his first MLS goal for the game-winner.
FC Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman made three changes to the team that fell to a 1-0 defeat by Seattle Sounders FC at Pizza Hut Park. Jeremy Hall and Andrew Jacobson came into the back four for Jackson and Zach Loyd, and Bruno Guarda started for the suspended Daniel Cruz.
FC DALLAS (4-2-3-1): Kevin Hartman - Jeremy Hall, Andrew Jacobson, Ugo Ihemelu, Jair Benitez (Ruben Luna 80) - Bruno Guarda (Jackson 61), Daniel Hernandez - Marvin Chavez (Bobby Warshaw 67), Ricardo Villar, Brek Shea - Maicon Santos.

TEAM NEWS

A season ago Brek Shea had six assists. He had one assist coming into the Kansas City match – a total he tripled within the space of a few minutes – to go with his 10 goals on the season (third-best in MLS).
"That's why Brek's the man, right?" rookie Bobby Warshaw said before wishing his father, Allen, a happy birthday. "He can win you a game at any moment. When Brek gets the ball you know he is going to do special things. You work hard and you get in the box and you hope good things happen."
After appearing in only four of FCD's first 12 games, Ricardo Villar has made the attacking midfield role his own, now having started the last 11 games in all competitions.
"I think he started to understand his job description," said Hyndman, "and then I think he started developing the fitness level to do that job I was asking him to do. ... I think he's probably the most improved. It's not only his fitness level, but his mental strength is now accepting the role and accepting that, 'If I want to play 90 minutes, I have to keep it at this level.'"
While having last weekend off to league play, FC Dallas have played twice in the interim. On Aug. 30, they lost 1-0 to Seattle Sounders FC in the semifinals of the US Open Cup on a goal by Fredy Montero.
"It was a great goal by Montero," said head coach Schellas Hyndman. "They created quite a few chances in the first half and we were, I think, a little intimidated with the whole event and a lot of things just weren't going our way."
Here's the FCD team: Kevin Hartman, Jair Benitez (Jack Stewart 89), Jeremy Hall, Ugo Ihemelu, Andrew Jacobson, Daniel Hernandez, Daniel Cruz (George John 46), Marvin Chavez, Brek Shea, Ricardo Villar (Jackson 64), Maicon Santos
Then last weekend, FCD defeated Tigres UANL 2-1 at Pizza Hut Park, winning the Rio Grande Plate on penalty kicks after the teams finished level 3-3 on aggregate in their two-game friendly series.
Ruben Luna and Jackson scored on either side of halftime after Lucas Lobos had given Tigres a 2-goal lead on aggregate.
Here's the FCD team: Chris Seitz, Victor Ulloa (Jack Stewart 77), Moises Hernandez (Jeremy Hall 64), George John, Andrew Jacobson, Bryan Leyva (Maykel Galindo 69), Bobby Warshaw, Andrew Wiedeman (Jon Top 73), Daniel Cruz (Jackson Goncalves 46), Bruno Guarda (Zach Loyd 21), Ruben Luna.
After nearly coming to terms with English Premier League side Blackburn Rovers, center back George John will see out the season with FC Dallas.
"I got over there and it was a really good experience," John said. "They welcomed me with open arms and it's just that the timing wasn't right. We are going to maintain a relationship and right now I'm back with FC Dallas."
Brek Shea played 90 minutes for the USA in the 1-0 loss to Costa Rica at The Home Depot Center, then played 90 minutes in the 1-0 loss to Belgium on Tuesday.
Marvin Chávez played 28 minutes for Honduras in the 3-0 loss to Paraguay in a friendly Tuesday, after playing 31 minutes as a substitute in the 2-0 loss to Colombia on Saturday at Red Bull Arena.