Return bittersweet for Twellman

CARSON, Calif. -- It was a bittersweet return to action for New England Revolution striker Taylor Twellman in the Revs' 2-1 win against Chivas USA at The Home Depot Center on Sunday afternoon.

Twellman, who had been sidelined all season after undergoing knee surgery in early April to repair a tear in his right meniscus, came on in the second half against Chivas USA. Less than 15 minutes after making his season debut he had returned to his scoring ways, racing to collect a long through ball from Steve Ralston on the back end of a one-two and powering home a low drive.

Then, minutes later, Twellman fell to the ground near midfield clutching his right ankle. He was tended to by New England's trainers and eventually returned to the field to finish out the match, albeit with a noticeable limp.

"I probably shouldn't have stayed in," Twellman said. "I was fortunate enough to put one in the net and unfortunate to get hurt again. It's frustrating to work so hard to come back in four weeks and have a lot of energy ... then hurting my foot. It's kind of a bummer."

The extent of the injury remains unclear. What was clear, however, was the immediate impact that Twellman and Steve Ralston had in their first match together all season. Ralston made his second consecutive appearance after missing five matches with an injury he picked up in the season opener.

Sharlie Joseph started the Twellman goal, knocking forward to Twellman. With his back to goal, he laid it off to Ralston in the center circle, then spun around to chase down the high ball Ralston sent over the Chivas USA defense before shooting past Brad Guzan in the Chivas USA goal.

"You'd never know that he'd been out for six weeks when he comes in and bangs one home," said Ralston of Twellman.

Revs coach Steve Nicol was pleased to see his two key players back on the field.

"Ralston adds that extra bit of quality, someone who can control the ball and pass the ball," he said. "And, you look for your striker to hold the ball and score goals and (Twellman) did both today. He could've had a hat trick but he hasn't kicked a ball for two months."

Shalrie Joseph was equally pleased to see his teammates back in the lineup as it removed some of the added pressure from his midfield role.

"Ralston makes a huge difference because he's definitely one of the best -- if not the best -- passer in the league. We tried to get him involved and get him the ball early," Joseph said. "And, Taylor is the best goal scorer in the league and having him back gives us the confidence we need up top."

The Revs performance was a drastic improvement from their last match, a 3-0 loss to the Chicago Fire.

"It was huge that we got three points today after our embarrassing performance last weekend," Joseph said.

The main difference in the matches, according to Ralston, was the team's organization. "We were really organized today. Our mindset was to get behind the ball and get in good spots. Last week we were going forward and got caught a few times," Ralston said. "We definitely needed this win today. We haven't played our best all year."

Revs embrace return to normalcy

RSL lets shot at first place slip away

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. -- Real Salt Lake let a prime opportunity slip away Thursday night. Whether it was the excitement of the rivalry with the Colorado Rapids, the pressure of playing with a chance to earn first place for the first time in club history, or simply an inability to play away from home in the second half, Real Salt Lake fell 2-0 in the first Rocky Mountain Cup match of the year.

While a win would have put them in first place in the Western Conference, the loss keeps them in third place, four points behind the Rapids, who climbed to the top of the table.

"It's disappointing for sure, especially against Colorado, our rival," said Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando. "There was opportunity there and everyone in this locker room knew it. We didn't step up to play and we played one of the worst games of our season."

Real Salt Lake played the Rapids to a stalemate in the first half, but seemed unable to match the energy Colorado showed in the second half. Both of the Rapids goals came in the second half, which seemed to be played mostly in and around Real's penalty area.

"I'm a little bit disappointed that we didn't come out in the second half with a better mentality," said RSL coach Jason Kreis. "Typically we've seen the team this year in Salt Lake that responds well to halftime and picks up their play and tonight that wasn't the case at all."

Striker Kenny Deucher agreed with his coach's assessment of the team's second-half woes.

"I thought we felt good at halftime and that the game was there for the taking," said Deucher. "We knew they would come at us at the start of the second half because it is obviously their home, but they got a few dangerous balls into the box and they did a good job of finishing."

Still, some in the RSL locker room felt that the team did enough to win but just was missing the ability to take a chance and convert it to a goal.

"What was missing was a goal," said defender Chris Wingert. "That was it to be honest with you. We had chances, with the ball in front of the box, but we couldn't put it in the back of the net. That's been the difference between our home games and our away games this year. In our home games we jump on the other team and score early and in the away games we haven't scored."

Deucher agreed with his teammate, adding that quality crosses from the wings was what really separated the teams on the night.

"I don't think we got the ball in the box enough," said Deucher. "It was going side to side, but we weren't able to put the ball in the box. We had a few chances but couldn't put it away and they punished us for it. They put a lot of crosses into the box and were rewarded for that."

Part of Salt Lake's success in the first half was containing Christian Gomez. Shadowed for much of the game by Kenny Cutler, he was quiet, but he eventually broke free (especially after Cutler was taken off for a attacking substitute), scoring the Rapids' second goal after starting the play that led to the first.

"When you have a player like Christian you have to have an idea of where he is at all times," said Kreis. "[Cutler] was charged with the responsibility when we were attacking to always have an idea of where Christian was and I think he did a pretty good job there."

Cutler agreed with his coach, but felt that his vigilance cost the team on the offensive side of the ball. "I wasn't trying to man-mark Gomez but he's a very dangerous player," said Cutler. "We talked about needing to have eyes on him at all times and I made it my personal battle to keep an eye on him. But on the opposite end I didn't do enough to help the team keep the ball and then we couldn't move forward and move them around and get them tired."

There is a strong consensus within Real that they will have success at home, but that the key to the season will be learning to play on the road.

"We just need to keep working hard," said Deucher. "At home we have been creating lots of chances. On the road we are not the same team. We need to address that and play away from home the same way we do at home. No one fancies playing us in Salt Lake City, but it is a different story on the road."

Borchers echoed his teammate's comment, believing that the entire team needs to step up their play when they travel.

"I don't think we've done a very good job on the road of defending and creating chances," said Borchers. "I don't think we came out sharp enough, I don't think we connected on enough of our passes, and I don't think we got forward enough. We were in our own half basically the whole second half. Obviously we're not going to score goals that way."

Real have now lost all four of their road games, and have allowed 10 goals away from Rice-Eccles Stadium, while scoring only two.

"I think there was real casual play in the back," said Rimando. "On the road we can't get beat to the ball and we can't give up penalty kicks. We've been doing that on the road too much and it has to stop. We are the away team. We have to dig in and match their intensity and be sharp, especially in the back. Sharp is exactly what we weren't today."

Although the team missed their chance to move into first place, Kreis hopes that his side will learn from this and seize their chance when next it comes.

"To be completely honest I don't think we deserve to be the best team in this conference; we're not ready for that yet," he said. "That's my opinion after looking at the game tonight: we're not ready. Hopefully that opportunity will come again. I told the guys that you get limited opportunities in life and certainly in your career in professional sports so it is disappointing that we let this one slip by. Hopefully we will be ready for the next one."

Hoops struggling to regain form

Real avoid nightmare finish

Talented Dallas presents challenge for RSL

United hopes to shake road woes

WASHINGTON -- D.C. United's weekend road trip to take on Chivas USA at The Home Depot Center on Saturday represents something of an irresistible force meeting an immovable object -- statistically speaking, at least.

United have never lost to the Red-and-White in the club's four years of existence, and have enjoyed plenty of success at the stadium where they captured their fourth MLS Cup in 2004, having gone undefeated in their last seven league visits to southern California.

But lately the Black-and-Red have been woeful away from home, and must go back to September of last year to recall their most recent road win.

"I don't know," said midfielder Clyde Simms. "For some reason we haven't brought the energy. I think that's the difference in the home games compared to the away games. I don't know why we haven't been able to bring that same energy on the road, but we have to treat those games the same, obviously."

D.C. have surrendered a whopping 11 goals through five away games in all competitions in 2008, adding up to an ugly 0-4-1 road record.

"That's something that we need to correct, the mentality to go out and fight and scrap for points on the road," said general manager Dave Kasper. "It's now about collectively doing all the little things necessary on the field, fighting for each other...Those are all things that can easily be fixed, with the right mentality of the players. So we're all aware of it and we're working to correct that."

Goalkeeper Zach Wells is particularly eager to stop the rot and with center back Gonzalo Peralta's availability in doubt due to his wife's advanced pregnancy, he might need to produce a strong performance on his return to the area where he grew up.

"I think it's just a subconscious thing, maybe a mentality thing," said Wells of his team's poor road form. "We come out and have a good week of practice and then we don't show the results on the field. It's kind of bizarre -- we're out here hacking each other and getting after each other (at practice), then we get on the field and it's not really the same bite. It's a little frustrating. I think we're getting the right information, we just need to execute now."

Talk out of the United camp suggests that the squad may return to the 4-4-2 formation to bolster the back line, and even with the team stuck in a 190-minute-plus scoreless streak, striker Jaime Moreno suggests that defensive rigidity will take first priority at this point.

"Definitely we've got to improve, and like Tommy said, we've got to keep the zero in the back," said D.C.'s veteran captain. "That's our main goal right now, to keep the zero in our net and we're going to be working and also going forward and trying to create some chances."

Chivas USA won the Western Conference last year and challenged United for the Supporters' Shield right up until the final weeks of the campaign. But the Red-and-White have hit hard times of their own this season, and are presently one of only two MLS teams with fewer points than D.C. It would seem to set the stage for a desperate encounter on Saturday night.

"We're fighting for your lives, especially with this type of record that we have so far. We just have to battle for one another and make sure that another teammate knows that I've got his back and he's got mine," said United defender Bryan Namoff. "You see frustration beginning to build a little bit throughout teammates and the coaching staff. That's why I think we're really concentrating on going back to the basics, and in order to do that we need to concentrate on just working hard for one another."

Chivas' starting lineup has been hammered by injuries -- United's attack will surely look to test Bobby Burling and Eric Ebert, the two youngsters likely to start on the Chivas defensive flanks -- but one clear threat remains in the form of Sacha Kljestan, an attack-minded midfielder capable of popping up in dangerous spots all over the field. D.C. will be eyeing him closely, while looking for ways to exploit his aggression at the other end of the field, though with United's own struggles, Namoff readily admits that this week's preparations have been more inwardly focused.

"[Kljestan's] got the type of freedom to roam around in search of the ball and if we can win balls in good areas, especially in their own half of the field, I think we can try to play to that area where he might be out of position," said the veteran right back. "There's several ways to counter this team but right now we're almost throwing [those] type of different tactics out the window, instead just trying to outcompete and outplay them."

United head coach Tom Soehn cuts short any detailed discussion of Chivas as well.

"Whatever. I'm not worried about them, I'm worried about us, making sure that we're in the right frame of mind to win ball games," he said.

D.C. United unable to find spark against Rapids

Commitment to defense fueling Fire

Cochrane recovering from grisly collision

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- When San Jose Earthquakes defender Ryan Cochrane thinks back to the head injury he sustained two weeks ago during a U.S. Open Cup match, it qualifies as something of an out-of-body experience. His only memories of the incident are from watching it on video and the eyewitness accounts of others.

Given the horrific nature of his collision with teammate Jay Ayres, that probably qualifies as a blessing. Just 11 minutes into the Open Cup play-in game against Real Salt Lake, Ayres headed a ball straight up in the air, and when both players attacked the ball to complete the clearance, a head-to-head collision ensued. Manager Frank Yallop shakes his head and remembers "it was an awful sound. It shook our guys up, to be honest."

Ayres got the worst of it by far, suffering multiple fractures to his left cheekbone. He underwent successful surgery for late last week, and is expected to miss 6-8 weeks.

Not that Cochrane got off easy either. In addition to being knocked unconscious, he received a cut that took 21 stitches to close. Yet unlike his teammate, the Santa Clara University product now looks set to return to the field.

To make sure Cochrane is fully recovered, the Quakes medical staff has made him undergo numerous mental acuity tests that measure memory and speed of reaction. Raising the stakes was the fact that Cochrane suffered a concussion last year as well, when he clashed heads with Chicago defender Bakary Soumare. It's a regimen that Cochrane isn't that fond of.

"It's a lot of stupid stuff," said Cochrane with a chuckle. "But Bruce [Morgan, the Quakes' trainer], he's going to make me do it."

While watching from the sidelines, Cochrane has been like a caged animal, unable to sit still as the rest of his teammates were put through their paces in practice. But he also admits that it took a while for the fog to lift, making the decision to rest him a prudent one.

"The first couple of days I had some headaches," said Cochrane. "But besides that, I feel good. I just want to get a little bit more fit this week before [Saturday's] game comes up."

Cochrane made enough of a recovery last week to make the substitutes' bench for San Jose's 3-2 loss to Columbus. It gave him a close-up view of a match that the Quakes appeared set to win, before a late meltdown saw them get torched for three goals.

"I think mainly in the second half, we sat back too much, and I think we stopped playing our game and stopped attacking [Columbus]," said Cochrane. "It opened up some spaces for them to go forward."

But now Cochrane feels ready to retake the field this Saturday against New England, and help his team eliminate some of the peaks and valleys that were so evident against the Crew.

"We've got to find some consistency," said Cochrane. "I think we played well against Dallas and didn't come out with a result. I think we could have gotten a result last game, and we didn't. It's just kind of been up and down. And we just need to be more confident. I think that's one thing that is lacking: Can we close out leads, or can we close out games? I think those are things that will develop over time."

If the Quakes can make progress on that front against the Revs, you can bet it will stick in Cochrane's memory.

Quakes’ offense awakens in loss

Dynamo breathe easy after first win

HOUSTON -- It was the kind of night the Houston Dynamo have been waiting for all year.

With more than a month of their second consecutive title defense already gone, the team has spent much of 2008 defending every action, having to explain time and time again why the points aren't coming.

Now, for the first time since winning the MLS Cup last November, they won't have to talk about what could have been or what should have been.

A 2-1 win against the Colorado Rapids in the books, the Dynamo celebrated with loud music in the locker room and enough positive chatter to make up for six weeks of frustration.

Forward Brian Ching and midfielder Dwayne De Rosario each made their mark on the win with their first goals of the season. Coincidentally, both players scored the 45th goals of their MLS careers and did so with a little bit of luck.

Found was the same luck that proved so evasive until the team finally put an end to their longest winless streak since moving to south Texas before the 2006 season.

"I am really happy tonight," said Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear. "The result was deserved, especially with all the hard work the guys have been putting in. I think you saw in the first half, especially, we came out with a great attitude and got the goal."

That goal belonged to Ching, who nearly scored in Week 2 against FC Dallas, but replays correctly showed that it was an own goal.

Saturday, Ching was perhaps the recipient of some of that aforementioned luck. Stuart Holden sent a long ball out of midfield and Ching raced toward it as Rapids goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul came off his line. But Coundoul missed on his effort to clear the ball, Ching slipped around and rolled the ball into a now empty net in the 43rd minute.

"Yeah, luck was just going my way tonight," Ching said. "Stewie (Holden) made a great play to get on the end of that ball, to put me through; he really anticipated that a little bit.

"And I don't know what the goalie was doing there, but I am just happy he did what he did and that the ball landed there for me being wide open. I couldn't miss that one."

Pat Onstad and the Dynamo defense had their hands full with Christian Gomez and Omar Cummings all night.

But they held their own, until Gomez found Cummings with a perfect pass in the 68th minute. Cummings, who had two really good chances foiled earlier in the match, got around a tiring Eddie Robinson and beat Dynamo 'keeper Pat Onstad.

"We knew Cummings was really fast, but I think the bigger player to take care of was Christian Gomez," said Dynamo defender Bobby Boswell. "Rico (Ricardo Clark) did a really good job with him and the one time he did get a little bit of space, they scored a goal.

"That is just the kind of player Christian is. He is just really good at serving guys the ball and it really helps if they are fast. I thought we did pretty well on his tonight."

But the Rapids goal shook the Dynamo to life -- and once again, they used a spot of good luck to score their first game-winning goal of the season.

A throw-in bounced in the box and the Dynamo were awarded a penalty kick by referee Tim Weyland after Colorado's Ugo Ihemelu was ruled to have played the ball with his hand in the box. De Rosario didn't miss, sending Coundoul the wrong way with the kick.

"It's a good feeling," De Rosario said. "It's not the way you want it to come out, giving up a goal in the second half. In all fairness, I think we did well with the way we kept composed after they scored.

"A team with our record would typically let our heads down and come out with a tie. We kept creating chances, and we got a little break our way that we worked for. I got a shot, and I'm glad I buried it."

And so are the rest of his teammates. The proverbial monkey off their back, the team can now begin preparing for a Chicago Fire team that has proved as good as anyone in MLS this season with a new goal -- start a winning streak.

"I am happy with the win, happy for the guys, because I know all the hard work they have been putting into getting us there," Kinnear added. "And it was really nice to see Dwayne and Brian get on the scoresheet as well.

"Overall it was a great night. A really great night."

Dynamo earn first victory of 2008

Dynamo on unlucky side of draw

Dynamo settle for draw with Chivas

Revs searching for consistency

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Seven games into the season, the New England Revolution's record shows three wins, three defeats and a draw. At no point have the Revs managed to put together even a two-game streak of the same result, be it a victory, loss or tie.

That trend, believes coach Steve Nicol, is directly related to the Revs' inability thus far to field their first-choice starting XI. Thus, with key men ready to return this weekend at Chivas USA, the hope within Gillette Stadium is that a period of greater consistency is imminent.

Before the first quarter of the regular season is complete, New England has already used 18 different players in game action, just one man fewer than Nicol gave playing time to during the entire 2007 campaign.

This year's 19th man is one that, injury aside, would have been a certainty on every team sheet. Indeed, with minutes to go until kickoff in the season opener against Houston, Taylor Twellman was in the starting lineup, only for a knee injury to sideline him for that and the next six games. Almost two months later, the club's all-time leading goalscorer is finally ready to return, to the relief of his coach.

"He's a proven goalscorer," said Nicol. "I don't think it any secret that we'd love to have him back so we'll see what happens. He gives (opposing) teams something to think about."

With just one goal scored in the last four games, following a return of seven in their first three, it's clear that the return of Twellman cannot come soon enough for the Revolution. Nicol admits that a lack of experience has been a contributing factor to the recent ineffectiveness of Adam Cristman and Kenny Mansally, the first-choice front two in Twellman's absence.

Of course, strikers thrive on service and a further factor in the New England goal drought has been the dislocated shoulder that was suffered by the all-time assists leader in MLS, Steve Ralston. The Revolution captain made his return as a second-half substitute in last Saturday's defeat to Chicago, the result of which Nicol said was an instant improvement in his side's play.

"You could see the difference when he came on. He can keep the ball, can play the through ball, he takes up good positions to give and receive it and good positions when we lose it," said the Revolution boss. "He's just a quality player."

Although he says that winning every game is always the aim, Nicol admitted that the problems he has had with team selection this season make the Revs' current position "half-decent."

"I guess it shows the character we have on the team more than anything else. I would like to think that we have done as well as any other team could have done under the circumstances."

Now, though, with key men returning to action, greater consistency is important if New England is to challenge for their sixth consecutive postseason berth. After watching his side slump to its second heavy defeat against Eastern Conference rival Chicago in their last game, Nicol is calling for a more focused effort at Chivas on Sunday.

"We made mistakes and if you make mistakes, sometimes you get punished and sometimes you get away with it," Nicol said. "We got punished last week on three occasions. To be able to put your finger on why goals happen is obviously a big help. If you're not sure then that makes things a lot harder. We certainly know the reason for the breakdowns and we have to stop it happening."

A midday kickoff on the West Coast is sure to further test the resolve of a Revolution side that has faced a number of challenges already this season. With more and more of his stalwarts returning, Nicol is quietly confident that a successful run of form is on the horizon.

Revs embrace return to normalcy

Ralston hasn’t missed a beat

Angel delivers first goal, win for NY

CARSON, Calif. -- Juan Pablo Angel's first goal of the season erased a Los Angeles Galaxy equalizer scored just one minute before and led the New York Red Bulls to a 2-1 victory Saturday night at The Home Depot Center.

Danleigh Borman scored his first professional goal in the 21st minute to give the Red Bulls the lead at the half. But Alan Gordon pulled the Galaxy level in the 77th minute, before Angel latched onto a Dane Richards pass and rounded L.A. goalkeeper Steve Cronin before firing the ball high into the goal for the game-winner.

Despite worries that the Red Bulls would travel without their teenage superstar, Jozy Altidore traveled with and started for the club against the Galaxy. Altidore was effective early on as he created space for himself and his teammates among the Galaxy's backline. Altidore nearly scored in the first quarter hour but Galaxy rookie Brandon McDonald stopped a potential goal when he knocked a ball away from Altidore after the Red Bulls standout scurried past the Galaxy defense.

Borman put the Red Bulls ahead in the 21st minute. Angel headed on a Hunter Freeman throw-in and Jozy Altidore collected the ball. Altidore slammed a shot on goal but Cronin was in position to block the shot. The ball bounced out to Borman, though, who was unmarked and coolly slotted the ball into the back of the net.

The goal was Borman's first career MLS tally. The South African is not necessarily known for his offensive prowess. During his four years with the University of Rhode Island, Borman scored seven goals.

Although the Galaxy tried to break down the Red Bulls' defense from the right side, the visitors did well to stand their ground. In the third minute, Gordon found the back of the net with a glancing header from the right flank that he nestled inside the far side netting, but the flag was up for offside.

Galaxy forwards did not have much space inside the penalty area and Landon Donovan was kept under wraps. Donovan had one near-chance in the first 45 minutes but a late run into the box produced nothing.

The Red Bulls conceded three corner kicks in the first 10 minutes of the second half but none of the three led to anything. Red Bulls defenders easily cleared away the first two while the third ball lofted over nearly everyone inside the penalty area.

Red Bulls coach Juan Carlos Osorio went to the bench for the first time in the 58th minute, when he called on Carlos Mendes. The defender replaced Borman on the field and added bulk to the New York backline.

The Red Bulls did not have much offense in the first quarter hour, however. It wasn't until Angel's 62nd-minute shot that the club tested Cronin. Angel controlled the ball inside the penalty area and ripped a shot on goal. However, Angel fired from a difficult angel and Cronin made the save.

Dave van den Bergh was the recipient of a hard challenge by Beckham in the 67th minute. As van den Bergh looked to pass the ball out of the Red Bulls' defensive third, Beckham upended the Dutchman. Beckham was booked for the foul.

Red Bulls defender Kevin Goldthwaite was booked in the 75th minute after he knocked Donovan down from behind some 40 yards out. On the ensuing set piece, Beckham sent the ball into the penalty area but Luke Sassano cleared the ball out of danger.

The Galaxy equalized in the 77th minute when Randolph found Gordon inside the penalty area. In between a pair of Red Bulls defenders, Gordon trapped the ball with his back to goal, turned and slipped a ball past Jon Conway and into the back of the net.

On the next trip into Galaxy territory, though, the Red Bulls regained the lead. Richards sped past McDonald and placed the ball on the left side of the penalty area. Angel ran onto the ball, faked around a charging Cronin and powered his shot high into the back of the net over a sliding Galaxy defender.

Minutes later, Osorio replaced Richards with John Wolyniec.

Conway kept the Red Bulls ahead in the 84th minute when he turned Randolph away with a diving save. Randolph held the ball with space on the left side of the penalty area. Conway charged towards the Galaxy midfielder and was ready for Randolph's shot. He parried the ball away and helped maintain the lead. The save was Conway's third of the match and guaranteed the Red Bulls would leave with the full three points.

Magee bails out shorthanded Bulls

Galaxy defense looks to step up

Red Bulls’ quick answer dooms LA

Red Bulls hope injury woes subside

Galaxy looking for scoring balance

Dynamo earn first victory of 2008

Fire again find the magic at RFK

Rookie impresses amid Galaxy stars

Dynamo settle for draw with Chivas

Real avoid nightmare finish