FINAL: Revolution 2, New York Red Bulls 2

revolutionsoccer.net

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Revolution won the Eastern Conference Championship and advanced to MLS Cup 2014 after tying with the New York Red Bulls 2-2 in the second leg of the championship series on Saturday afternoon at Gillette Stadium. The result means that the Revolution won the series 4-3 on aggregate after earning a 2-1 win in the first leg on Sunday, November 23 at Red Bull Arena. The Revs will now take part in their first MLS Cup since 2007, against the winner of the Western Conference Championship between the LA Galaxy and Seattle Sounders FC.

Charlie Davies scored both of the Revolution’s goals on the day, as New England twice fought back from a one-goal deficit to earn the draw. Tim Cahill put New York ahead in the 26th minute with a close-range finish after Thierry Henry chipped a pass over the head of Jose Goncalves into Cahill’s path.

The Revolution equalized through Davies four minutes before halftime when he connected with a Chris Tierney cross from the right wing. Tierney exchanged a short corner with Lee Nguyen before crossing into the area where Davies headed the ball – via a deflection – into the lower left corner, tying the score at 1-1.

Jermaine Jones and Davies both fired wide in the early stages of the second half before Peguy Luyindula put the Red Bulls up 2-1, evening the series at 3-3 on aggregate. New York midfielder Lloyd Sam sent over a cross from the right that caused havoc in the Revolution penalty area, deflecting off of Andrew Farrell before Luyindula pounced on the loose ball and fired past the onrushing Bobby Shuttleworth.

Cahill then missed an open opportunity inside the New England area before Tierney and Davies linked up again for the series deciding goal. Tierney found space on the left before whipping in a cross to Davies, who headed low past Luis Robles to tie the game at 2-2 and put the Revolution in front on aggregate with 20 minutes to go. The Revs to MLS Cup 2014.

Santander Man of the Match

CHARLIE DAVIES – Scored both of the Revolution’s goals – his third and fourth of the postseason – to lead the club back to MLS Cup. He is now tied for the lead in goals in the 2014 MLS Playoffs.

New England Revolution vs. New York Red Bulls
November 29, 2014 – Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, Mass.)
Eastern Conference Championship – Second Leg
New England Revolution 2, New York Red Bulls 2
(Revolution win series 4-3 on aggregate)

Scoring Summary:

NY – Tim Cahill 1 (Thierry Henry 5) 26’

NE – Charlie Davies 3 (Chris Tierney 1, Lee Nguyen 3) 41’

NY – Peguy Luyindula 3 (Unassisted) 52’

NE – Charlie Davies 4 (Chris Tierney 2, Scott Caldwell 2) 71’

Misconduct Summary:

NY – Dax McCarty (Yellow Card) 60’

NY – Ambroise Oyongo (Yellow Card) 92+

NY – Lloyd Sam (Yellow Card) 93+

New England Revolution: Bobby Shuttleworth; Kevin Alston, Jose Goncalves ©, A.J. Soares, Andrew Farrell; Chris Tierney, Scott Caldwell, Jermaine Jones, Lee Nguyen, Teal Bunbury; Charlie Davies (Kelyn Rowe 84’)

Substitutes Not Used: Brad Knighton, Darrius Barnes, Andy Dorman, Daigo Kobayashi, Diego Fagundez, Patrick Mullins

STATS: Shots 11, Shots on target 4, Saves 2, Corner kicks 3, Offsides 4, Fouls 11, Possession 45.9%, Passes 338 (69.2%)

New York Red Bulls: Luis Robles; Ambroise Oyongo, Ibrahim Sekagya (Connor Lade 86’), Jamison Olave, Richard Eckersley; Peguy Luyindula, Dax McCarty, Eric Alexander (Ruben Bover 91+), Lloyd Sam; Thierry Henry ©, Tim Cahill

Substitutes Not Used: Ryan Meara, Damien Perrinelle, Chris Duvall, Marius Obekop, Saer Sene

STATS: Shots 11, Shots on target 4, Saves 2, Corner kicks 4, Offsides 3, Fouls 15, Possession 54.1%, Passes 405 (70.1%)

Referee: Baldomero Toledo

Assistant Referees: Frank Anderson (AR1) and Ian Anderson (AR2)

Fourth Official: Silviu Petrescu

Weather: Clear and 34 degrees

Attendance: 32,698

Additional Game Notes

With the 2-2 draw, the Revolution win the Eastern Conference Championship 4-3 on aggregate.
The Revs have now advanced to MLS cup for the first time since 2007. They will face the winner of the Western Conference Championship in MLS Cup 2014.
The Revs have scored two or more goals in all four of their postseason games this year. They had done so 10 times in their 36 playoff games before 2014.
New England is now 4-1-3 all-time against New York in the postseason. This was the first time that they met in the playoffs since 2007 and the first time that they’ve ever met in the Conference Championship.
This is the 10th two-leg, aggregate-goal series that the Revolution have played in since MLS adopted the format in 2003. They are now 4-3-3 in the second leg of those series.
In their last 16 games, since an August 2 loss to the Red Bulls, the Revolution are 12-1-3 in all competitions.
The Revs are now unbeaten in their last 17 home playoff games, going 12-0-5 in those contests.
Revolution head coach Jay Heaps made one change to the team that beat New York 2-1 in the first leg of the Eastern Conference Championship last weekend with Kevin Alston returning to the starting lineup in place of Kelyn Rowe. Alston started the game at left back while Chris Tierney, who started the first three games of the playoffs at left back, started the game on the left side of midfield while Kelyn Rowe began the game on the bench.
The Revolution fell behind 1-0 in the 26th minute when Tim Cahill scored his first goal of the postseason.
This was the first time that the Revs trailed in the 2014 MLS Cup Playoffs.
New England equalized in the 41st minute through Charlie Davies. That was his third goal of the postseason.
Chris Tierney tallied the first assist of his postseason career on the goal, providing the cross for Davies to head home.
Lee Nguyen was also credited with an assist on the goal. He now has a goal or an assist in nine straight MLS games, dating back to the start of October. The Revs are now 7-0-2 in those nine contests.
New England is now 17-1-3 in 2014 when Nguyen has a goal or an assist.
Shortly after halftime, the Red Bulls pulled in front through Peggy Luyindula, tying the series at 3-3 on aggregate.
Charlie Davies equalized for the Revolution in the 70th minute, heading home another Chris Tierney cross.
Davies is the only player in Revolution history to score multiple goals in a playoff game, having also done so in the first leg of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against Columbus.
Tierney is the first Revolution player to record two assists in a postseason game since Jose Cancela had two assists in the Revs’ 2-0 road win over the MetroStars at Giants Stadium on November 1, 2003.
Scott Caldwell was also credited with an assist on the goal. That was his second of the postseason, equaling his total from the entire regular season.
Both Revolution goals and three of the four assists were recorded by players that were raised in New England. Davies was raised in New Hampshire while Tierney and Caldwell were each raised in Massachusetts.
Bobby Shuttleworth finished the game with two saves. He now leads the 2014 MLS Cup Playoffs with 18 saves.
The Revs are now 20-0-2 in all competitions this season when scoring two or more goals.