In Their First Rematch Since Last Year's Crushing MLS Cup Loss, Revolution Tie Galaxy 2-2

It is still May (for a less than an hour) but the 2015 Red Sox' (22-29) season already looks hopeless. That means once again we need something to distract us in the sports wasteland known as summer with Patriots training camp and preseason games still over two months away. I'm not trying to convert anyone (that's not my style) but only noting that the Revolution (5-3-6) appear to be a title contender in MLS for those that care. New England lost in heartbreaking fashion-2-1 in overtime-in the 2014 MLS Cup vs. Los Angeles (5-4-6) and on Sunday, those budding rivals met at Gillette Stadium in basically a monsoon.

They tied 2-2 in a up-and-down match that featured about as exciting a first half as you'll ever see (in MLS at least) before a dull second half that had no goals and few chances for either side. New England has tied its last three matches and they are winless in their last five (0-1-4) so they really could have used three points despite the fact that they are in second-place in the East (four points behind D.C.). Nothing was officially announced tonight but midfielder Jermaine Jones left in the first half with a groin injury and it sounds pretty serious. You feel terrible for him because he had just been called up earlier in the day for the US National team's exhibitions at Holland and Germany later this week. At 33 you never know, that might have been his last shot to represent the U.S. Ugh, hopefully that is not the case though.

The Revs grabbed a 1-0 lead in the fifth minute thanks to their quickest goal of the season. Midfielder Scott Caldwell served a perfect cross to the far post where midfielder Teal Bunbury ran onto it and one-touched the ball into LA's net. That was Bunbury's third goal of the season and Caldwell's fourth assist of the season as he becomes one of the team's rising stars.

The Galaxy responded soon after that as they scored a pretty goal in the 18th minute. Rookie midfielder Ignacio Maganto volleyed in a blast from outside the box that Revolution goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth had no chance to stop. Would you believe that was his first career goal? It had been the seventh straight match that New England had scored the first goal, which shows their need to tighten things up once they get a lead. Granted, they were missing defender Chris Tierney and star midfielder Lee Nguyen vs. LA because both had accumulated too many yellow cards in previous matches.

LA made it 2-1 in the 27th minute on a beautiful back heel by Maganto that was finished by standout forward Gyasi Zardes (another USMNT member). Perhaps the most notable development of the game, well besides Jones' injury, was the final goal. Revs midfielder Diego Fagundez has showed plenty of promise the last few years but head coach Jay Heaps doesn't seem to have much confidence in the youngster. Fagundez got the start tonight and he came through with a gorgeous free kick goal in the 37th minute. He bent the direct kick around LA's wall and past a diving Penedo. It was his first goal of the season and it couldn't come at a better time for his confidence.

Not including their Open Cup match vs. Charlotte on June 17 at Harvard, three of New England's next four matches are on the road. That tough June starts with a meeting with the Timbers (5-5-4) on Saturday (10:30, CSN) in Portland. The Revolution never seem to play well on the West Coast and the Timbers have one of the better home field advantages in Major League Soccer at Providence Park so getting a positive result there will be a chore.

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Sadly, The Revolution Remain Born Losers That Can't Win an MLS Cup To Save Their Lives

For the fifth time in club history, the Revolution had a chance to gain some more fans locally and positive publicity for their sport by capturing an MLS Cup but for the fifth time, they fell flat on their faces and failed. We all hoped that this year would finally be a different story but it turns out that even though many of the names had changed, New England still can't figure out how to win the only match that really matters.

Los Angeles outlasted New England 2-1 in extra time this afternoon at the StubHub Center for their MLS-record fifth title. MLS MVP Robbie Keane was also named MVP of the MLS Cup since his goal in the 111th minute was the game-winner. Conversely, Revolution MVP candidate Lee Nguyen limped off in stoppage time (of regulation) with cramps. Yup, that basically summed it up for the Revs.

American icon Landon Donovan didn't really do anything remarkable in today's contest (supposedly the last game of his illustrious career) but he still managed to become the first player in MLS with six Cup wins on his resume. It was 0-0 after a mostly dull first half that was lacking for action besides New England's Scott Caldwell clearing LA's Robbie Rogers' shot off the goal-line in the first few minutes. Thankfully, things turned up in a thrilling second half. LA got on the board first in the 52nd minute when Stefan Ishizaki's cross somehow founds its way to Gyasi Zardes in a maze of bodies. He was able to put his shot past Revolution goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth.

Sticking to almost the same exact script (at least this time they scored a goal), New England tied it up in the 79th minute on a goal by Wellesley native Chris Tierney. Substitute Patrick Mullins played it back to him in the box and his shot eluded Jaime Penedo who seemed to be in good position to stop it. You can't make up the fact that New England's two previous meetings with Los Angeles in the MLS Cup (2002 & 2005) both resulted in 1-0 losses in overtime. Then in 2006 they lost in penalty kicks to Houston and to cap it all off, they fell 2-1 the following year to the Dynamo as well.

I don't believe in curses but can we admit that there is no logical explanation for why the Revs lost once again in the Cup? Teal Bunbury had a chance to put New England up 2-1 late in the second half but of course his cross/pass hit the crossbar and didn't go in. Nguyen's injury forced the Revs to burn their third and final substitute at the end of the regulation. I can't say that fatigue really effected them too much in extra time (that's not why they lost) but it had to help LA to have the ability to make all three moves then.

The goal that everyone will remember from this match came via another defensive breakdown by the visitors except this one was even worse than the first. Marcelo Selvas' hopeful long ball found Keane who certainly knows what to do in the box with time and space. The Revs had many positive developments occur this season both on and off the field but I'm not the type of person that can reflect on that immediately after such a soul-crushing defeat from a team that appears to specialize in them. After a long absence, I returned to MLS this summer and I have to say I enjoyed it for what it was-a diversion while the Red Sox sucked. I will return next season and hope for another outcome but like a Cubs fan, I am building up some sort of PTSD related to this team.

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For The 1st Time Since 2007, The Revolution Get Back to the MLS Cup, Now It's Time To Win One

The Revolution tied the Red Bulls 2-2 this afternoon at Gillette Stadium in the second leg of the Eastern Conference Championship so coupled with their 2-1 win last weekend at Red Bull Arena, New England advanced to their fifth MLS Cup in club history (tying DC United for the most in the Eastern Conference). The Revs are 0-4 in the Cup but for now, they deserve to revel in a great accomplishment. They'll meet the winner of LA/Seattle next Sunday on the West Coast, the Galaxy lead 1-0 heading into tomorrow night's final Western Conference Championship match (9:20, ESPN) in Seattle.

Don't forget, this team had an eight-game winless streak in the middle of this season which had never happened before to an MLS Cup team. New England improved to 12-1-1 since they acquired Jermaine Jones (10-0-1 when he starts) and Lee Nguyen is an MLS MVP candidate but nobody better symbolizes their remarkable turnaround than homegrown striker Charlie Davies. If you are a soccer fan, you no doubt are aware of his incredible recovery but we always wondered if he'd get back his immense talent. After scoring both goals today to go with two against Columbus in the first leg of the previous round (no other Revolution player had done that), Davies declared himself back while also admitting that he's a smarter player these days.

New York scored first, Tim Cahill started in place of the suspended Bradley Wright-Phillips and he came through in the 26th minute by connecting on a pass from Thierry Henry for his first goal of the playoffs. New England didn't take long to get the all-important equalizer though as Davies headed in a cross on a set piece by Chris Tierney in a crowd of players by New York's goal in the 41st minute for his third goal of the postseason. Being tied 1-1 at halftime had to feel like a win for the Revs considering that they would progress with either a win, draw or 1-0 loss.

The Red Bulls didn't roll over by any means as Peguy Luyindula had a header go over in the 52nd minute then seconds later, he was there to pounce on a loose ball and poke it around Bobby Shuttleworth (2 saves) for his third goal of the playoffs. That was the only score that if it held would have resulted in extra time so it's fair to say that Davies' second goal was the most important of the season for the Revs. It was a pretty similar play as Tierney once again crossed it in, this time from the left side rather than the right and Davies headed it past Luis Robles (2 saves).

New England closed out its 2014 campaign at Gillette Stadium with eight straight wins, in fact their last loss here was way back on July 26. Anything can happen in a one-game playoff and obviously, they'll be an underdog against the heavyweight Galaxy or Sounders on their home turf but it's tough to bet against this team at the moment. The Revolution lost in the MLS Cup in 2002 then 2005-2007 so they are long overdue to get the only title that matters in MLS. It would be the perfect manner to kick off what we all hope is a championship filled winter with the Patriots-their Gillette neighbors.

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