Ralston, Twellman star in Revolution late show

ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- The chances were good of the game being decided from the 90th minute on when the Revolution met the Rochester Raging Rhinos in a US Open Cup game last night. The Revolution did not buck the odds, Steve Ralston and Taylor Twellman combining for two late goals in a 4-2 win.

Twellman headed Ralston's free kick at the back post to break the tie in the 90th minute, then earned a penalty that Ralston converted in the third minute of injury time as the Revolution advanced to an Aug. 7 quarterfinal match against D.C. United or the Harrisburg City Islanders.

This was the eighth game decided at least 90 minutes in among the Revolution's 14 US Open Cup matches contested since 1997. The Revolution controlled the action but lost momentum, squandering a two-goal lead as Hamed Diallo scored in the 76th and 86th minutes.

But the Revolution were resourceful in the final minutes, goalkeeper Matt Reis making a spectacular save on John Ball, then tossing the ball past the halfway line to set up Ralston's free kick for the tiebreaker.

"At 2-zero I thought it was over, but we have to do a better job of killing the game," Ralston said. "Obviously, it's their biggest game of the year and they have good players. It felt like it was 120 degrees out there and there was a lot of space and a lot of time on the ball. Thankfully, it didn't go into overtime, because we were really tired."

The Revolution took a 2-0 lead on a Ralston free kick and a Twellman finish off a James Riley feed, but started slowly, misfiring on several early passes, the ball running on the artificial turf, and contributing to quick Rochester turnarounds. Diallo's shot was blocked by Michael Parkhurst in the 10th minute before the Revolution soon began finding a rhythm, playing through Andy Dorman and Ralston in midfield.

A Pat Noonan-Twellman combination produced a free kick, defender Kenney Bertz going through Twellman just outside the penalty arc. Ralston curled the kick into the left side of the net, leaving goalkeeper Nuno Santos no chance of stopping it in the 19th minute. Twellman had chances off a short passing sequence, his one-timer going high (28th minute), then he was stopped after breaking in alone on Santos, who advanced off his line for the save (40th).

Rochester gained control by going to a three-defender setup, with Tenywa Bonseu dropping back and adding forward Rey Angel Martinez to the attack. But the Revolution took a two-goal lead on a counterattack. Substitute Khano Smith took the ball on the left wing and cut toward the penalty arc; Noonan then rolled a pass to Riley near the end line, Twellman controlling Riley's low cross, turning and poking the shot past Santos in the 67th minute. After Noonan headed off the top of the bar (74th) off a Smith cross, the Rhinos cut the deficit, Diallo finishing a headed cross from Ball in the 76th minute. Diallo scored again with a quick turn after a feed from John Menyongar at the top of the penalty area in the 86th minute.

Reis stopped a Ball shot in the 86th minute and, three minutes later, threw the ball 60 yards, Smith touching past Bonseu and drawing the foul about 30 yards from goal. Ralston curled the free kick to the back post for Twellman, who leaped over Josh Bolton for a 3-2 lead in the 90th minute. In the third minute of injury time, Wells Thompson laid off for Twellman, who was tripped, and Ralston rolled the penalty kick into the right side as Santos dove left.

"You have to give them credit, they stick at it, and their two guys up front [Diallo and Menyongar] are lively," Revolution coach Steve Nicol said. "But we contributed to it. Part of the problem was our own play and, once you let them into it, it's hard to stop them. We have to do a far better job of defending when we are ahead. It wasn't professional, and we almost paid for it, but we showed plenty of heart and you know whats."

Frank Dell'Apa can be reached at f_dellapa@globe.com.