Second wind lifts Revolution

FOXBOROUGH - In recent seasons, the Revolution have played the MLS regular season at a long distance runner's pace, then sprinted to the finish line. And they might have taken a step toward another late rally with a 4-2 victory over FC Dallas last night.

"We really thought this could be the start of an end-of-the-season run," Revolution assistant coach Paul Mariner said. "We have been winning, losing, winning, losing and that's really not our style. We wanted to impose ourselves on them and emphasized getting the ball wide."

Mariner replaced head coach Steve Nicol, who was suspended and will return for the Revolution's visit to New York Saturday, as the Revolution (13-6-6, 45 points) moved within a point of clinching a playoff berth and pulled within 4 points of Eastern Conference leader D.C. United.

Pat Noonan scored twice and Steve Ralston (78th minute) and Khano Smith (90th) clinched the result in a preview of the US Open Cup final. The teams will meet again Oct. 3 in Frisco, Texas, in the 93d annual Open Cup final.

FC Dallas (12-9-3, 39 points), in third place in the Western Conference, stayed in contention through the goalkeeping of Dario Sala in the first half, then tied the score on Carlos Ruiz's header in the 35th minute.

But the Revolution took command at the start of the second half with a composed possession game. The strategy, combined with Smith's left-wing runs, paid off. Noonan (65th) and Ralston gave the Revolution a 3-1 lead, Ruiz cutting the deficit (84th) before Smith's right-footer from 20 yards went past Sala.

Smith's runs on the left wing knocked the Dallas defense off balance from the opening minutes, but Revolution forwards failed to anticipate his near-post crosses until Noonan provided the first goal. Ralston set up the sequence, running across the field and finding Smith on the left wing. Noonan read Smith's near-post cross, one-timing with the outside of his right foot in the 29th minute.

"Khano had crossed to the near post a couple times before that," Noonan said. "I just got to a good spot and got a toe on it."

But Dallas retaliated, Ruiz tying the score off Dax McCarty's free kick. Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis lost sight of the ball in the lights and failed to punch the kick, Ruiz looping a header into an open net in the 35th minute. Reis then saved (36th) on Abe Thompson after a McCarty cross, and on Denilson on the resulting corner, Andy Dorman heading the rebound off the line.

After that, the Revolution regained command.

The Revolution's ability to move the ball quickly disrupted Dallas's defense. Ralston twice advanced to the end line, the second time setting up Noonan for the go-ahead goal. Noonan and Ralston were involved in the buildup, Jeff Larentowicz touching on for Ralston to cross and Noonan finishing with a 15-yard drive for a 2-1 lead in the 65th minute.

Smith continued to threaten on the wing, running 50 yards and setting up a Taylor Twellman shot that was slapped away by an advancing Sala in the 67th minute. Another Smith cross was stopped by Sala, who threw the ball out of bounds to receive treatment.

Sala then dove to stop a Dorman cross from the left, dropping the ball for Twellman to touch on to Ralston, who finished after his initial shot was blocked by Aaron Pitchkolan in the 78th minute.

"It's all about possession," Mariner said. "We thought we could take it to them a little more than we had in the first half and put their back four and midfield on the back foot. There was a lot of hard work and hard running, particularly by our midfielders."

Ruiz cut the deficit, heading a cross from substitute Dominic Oduro in the 84th minute. But Smith's right-footer from 20 yards clinched the result in the 90th.

The Revolution increased their home unbeaten streak to nine games (5-0-4) since a 4-3 loss to Kansas City May 26.