As it turned out, the New England Revolution didn't need the help after all.
Kei Kamara and Juan Agudelo had a goal and an assist each, and the Revs also benefited from an own goal in picking up three huge points with Saturday night's 3-1 victory over Sporting Kansas City.
The Revs stayed in seventh place in the Eastern Conference, one spot out of the 2017 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs field, but anything short of a win would have taken away all but the slimmest chance for the postseason. Sporting, fifth in the West on 43 points, missed a chance to secure or even improve their lot.
Kamara's 4th-minute goal came as a result of Sporting taking a high line without getting enough pressure on the ball to make it work -- and Agudelo punishing them for it. Agudelo took a ball from Lee Nguyen, then picked out the just-onside Kamara for a solo run into the area and a calm finish past 'keeper Tim Melia.
Sporting equalized in the 50th on Dom Dwyer's fourth goal in as many matches and 16th of the season. Benny Feilhaber sent a corner kick into the penalty area, and defender Kevin Ellis delivered a flick-on-header that teed up Dwyer for a point-blank finish.
Box Score
- 4' - NE - Kei Kamara (Juan Agudelo, Lee Nguyen)
- 50' - SKC - Dom Dwyer (Kevin Ellis, Benny Feilhaber)
- 75' - NE - Kevin Ellis (OG)
- 83' - NE - Juan Agudelo (Kei Kamara)
- Full Boxscore
- Stats
- Watch Highlights
Three Things
- ROWE, RECOVERED: Revolution midfielder Kelyn Rowe was out for last weekend's 2-0 away loss to Columbus Crew SC because of an intestinal infection that forced him to be hospitalized for three days. That was his first missed match of the season, and there hasn't been a second yet. On Saturday night, Rowe – who signed a contract extension earlier this week -- started and played into the 89th minute before being subbed out.
- RETURN OF ZUSI: Sporting KC winger Graham Zusi also made his return to the pitch on Saturday night, after missing three matches with a calf strain. The US international came on at halftime as part of a tactical shift that sparked Sporting's play in the attacking third and led to Dom Dwyer's 50th-minute equalizer, raising hopes of taking points from Saturday's match before the Revs pulled away late.
- DADDY DWYER'S STREAK: Sporting's high-scoring center forward still hasn't gone goalless as a father. He has played in four matches since he and his wife, US women's international Sydney Leroux Dwyer, welcomed son Cassius Cruz -- and found the net in all four, raising his total to 16 this season.
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