Revolution aren't half bad

FOXBOROUGH -- The artificial turf at Gillette Stadium has benefited the Revolution's quick passing game. But the Revolution started slowly and struggled to get their game into gear before rallying for a 1-1 tie with Chivas USA last night, the equalizer created by midfielder Steve Ralston's record-tying assist.

"The way we started, we tried to play too early," Revolution coach Steve Nicol said. "We were trying to make nice passes, but you have to win the battle first, before you earn the right to play. We played too many short balls in the middle of the field and that allowed them to close us down and we lost the ball in the middle of the park."

Claudio Suarez (fourth minute) headed in a corner kick and Chivas USA nearly scored twice more in the opening minutes. The Revolution (6-3-5, 23 points) recovered, though, and took complete control after adjusting the lineup in the second half, Andy Dorman converting his sixth goal of the season in the 64th minute.

Some spectacular stops by Preston Burpo, a former New Hampshire College goalkeeper, off point-blank headers preserved the tie for Chivas USA (6-5-3, 21 points).

"We talked about it at halftime," said Ralston, whose corner kick produced his 114th assist, tying Carlos Valderrama's MLS career record. "We are all disappointed we didn't get the three points. That was one of the best goalkeeper performances I have seen in my career. It was like he had a magnet on the ball in his chest."

The Revolution started the match with Shalrie Joseph and Michael Parkhurst in holding midfield positions. In the second half, Parkhurst retreated to his normal central defender spot, Ralston moved to central midfield, and Khano Smith went to the left wing. Taylor Twellman, who returned Friday night from playing in Copa America in Venezuela, replaced Adam Cristman early in the second half and nearly scored on his first opportunity.

Ralston hit the post (57th) with the rebound of a Jay Heaps drive. Then Burpo stopped Twellman headers off crosses by Wells Thompson (59th) and Smith (61st) before the Revolution tied the score on Dorman's volley. The Revolution then had two seemingly sure chances to break the tie. Burpo (eight saves) blocked a Pat Noonan header at the back post off a Smith cross (83 d). Then, with Burpo out of position, Heaps poked a shot high with the net open at the back post (90th) off a Noonan header.

"I thought it was going to be one of those games where it doesn't matter what we do, we're not going to score," Ralston said. "We finally broke through."

Chivas capitalized on the Revolution's sluggish start. Suarez went over Heaps to bounce a header into the roof of the net in the fourth minute. The sequence started with a Revolution turnover leading to a corner kick from Alex Zotinca. Ante Razov had two chances to increase Chivas's lead, heading high (seventh minute) and being stopped by a Matt Reis kick save (ninth) off crosses from Maykel Galindo.

Burpo, replacing Brad Guzan (who was with the US along with Chivas teammates Jonathan Bornstein and Sacha Kljestan), also made a first-half stop on a Cristman volley of a Joseph lofted ball (41st). Noonan squandered an open header (19th) from near the penalty spot and Joseph barely missed with a 25-yard shot (36th) after Thompson outdueled Jason Hernandez.

Joseph played a masterful game in directing the midfield and also had a chance after Thompson went through two defenders, the shot skidding wide in the 85th minute. Joseph, recovering from a quadriceps strain, appeared to aggravate his injury and will likely miss the Revolution's visit to Rochester for a US Open Cup game Tuesday.

"My legs were a little heavy and it was late in the game, and the last thing I wanted to do was take a shot," Joseph said.

"We gave up a soft goal, but after that we had a lot of chances and we are disappointed we didn't win."