New England Revolution 1, Real Salt Lake 2 | MLS Match Recap

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando saved Saër Sène's penalty in the second minute of second-half stoppage time to ensure his side emerged from New England with a 2-1 victory on Wednesday night at Gillette Stadium.

The home side took the lead after Ryan Guy volleyed home Kelyn Rowe's driven cross six minutes after halftime, but rookie forward Devon Sandoval pegged the Revolution back in the final quarter of an hour and set up a grandstand finish.

Second-half substitute Olmes Garcia scored the winner in the 89th minute after poking home the remnants of a Kyle Beckerman volley. Rookie defender Carlos Salcedo then earned a second yellow card as he conceded a penalty in second-half stoppage time, but Rimando saved Sene's spot kick to preserve RSL's victory.

FULL LINEUP AND BOX SCORE

Jerry Bengtson squandered the best chance of the first half by dragging his run just a bit too wide after seven minutes. The Honduran international did well to latch onto a through ball, but he dithered on the ball and eventually watched the opening dissipate into a corner kick.

RSL eventually asserted its usual control in possession, but the visitors struggled to find a way through the compact hosts despite their superiority on the ball. Luis Gil's shot blazed over the bar after 11 minutes in perhaps the Claret-and-Cobalt's best opening of the first half.

The match finally sparked to life after the interval when Guy opened the scoring after 51 minutes. RSL defender Chris Schuler missed an opportunity to clear along the sideline and permitted a longball to skitter down the right flank. Rowe collected the feed, picked up his head and played an inviting ball toward the top of the penalty area. Guy met it first-time and thumped home inside the near post to open the scoring.

OPTA Chalkboard: Both sides emphasize wide play in possession

RSL improved a bit after the opener and started to probe the increasingly entrenched Revolution. Ned Grabavoy and Kyle Beckerman both forced Bobby Shuttleworth to save low shots from distance, while Sandoval prompted a fine diving shot with his low header from a Grabavoy cross in the final quarter of an hour.

Sandoval broke through mere moments later, after the Revs could not clear their lines. Grabavoy did well to collect a poor clearance and shuttle the ball to Sebastian Velasquez. The Argentine midfielder fired a low drive from a sharp angle. Shuttleworth dove to make the save, but Sandoval poked home from close range to restore parity.

Garcia then poked home to give the visitors the points after Shuttleworth saved a Beckerman volley before Rimando denied Sene to ensure the late penalty award did not cost RSL two points.

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