Scoring on a bicycle kick is among the most difficult of sporting feats. Taylor Twellman has played 188 games for the Revolution and scored more times than anyone in Major League Soccer since joining the league in 2002. He has converted from many different angles, but only twice has he biked in a shot, during a 2002 visit to Kansas City and in the team's 1-0 win over Chicago in the Eastern Conference championship game Thursday night.
Twellman's 100th goal in MLS games (he has another seven in cup competitions), was a graphic illustration of several of his qualities: athleticism, persistence, timing, toughness, and, more than anything, a goal scorer's instinct. Bicycle kicks often come from unexpected circumstances, so there is almost no time to plan for them. No practice session can replicate the game circumstance leading to a bike, and even if it could no coach would condone the session because of the injury risk from players landing on their backs.
After the match, Revolution coach Steve Nicol joked that the team had been practicing "overhead kicks" the previous day, evoking the preposterous image of several players doing just that.
The Revolution scoring sequence started with a throw-in from Wells Thompson. After the ball was touched back to him by Pat Noonan, Thompson delivered a back-post cross from the right wing. Fire defenders Logan Pause and Dasan Robinson were in position to stop the play, so Twellman could only go up with them and hope. Immediately after landing, Twellman realized the ball had deflected slightly away from the goal, so he turned his back to the goal, took a quick step, and leaped again, this time going horizontal.
As Twellman met the ball, his right foot was close to the head of the 6-foot Robinson, and referee Kevin Stott could have disallowed the attempt for dangerous play. But Stott must have realized this was a special moment, not one to be negated, and he allowed play to continue.
Twellman, too, realized something special had happened, and the adrenaline rush made him forget what had happened in the MLS Cup last year. After scoring a goal owing more to concentration and precision, Twellman celebrated with a long run to embrace Nicol, and was joined by several teammates, the loss of focus becoming costly as Houston tied the score seconds later. Twellman again made the emotional run to embrace Nicol near the Revolution bench after scoring against Chicago. This time, though, the Revolution regained their composure and finished off the game, qualifying for the MLS Cup for the third successive year. New England will face the winner of tonight's Kansas City-Houston game Nov. 18 in Washington.
"Taylor has been great in the playoffs," Revolution midfielder Shalrie Joseph said. "He's probably the best goal scorer I've ever seen, at least he's the best I've ever played with, and I told him. That was an unbelievable goal."
Scoring chances have been rare for the Revolution in these playoffs. Twellman scored twice in three games, a 0-0 tie and 1-0 win over New York, and the win over Chicago. There have been some excellent defensive stops and saves by goalkeepers, and there has been a lack of composure from potential scorers. Only Twellman has been able to put the ball in the net. This is an indication of how difficult scoring can be in soccer, especially in elimination situations against familiar foes.
Revolution midfielder Steve Ralston played in his 370th professional game Thursday, tying the record for games played in a major United States league. Bill McPherson played in 370 American Soccer League games in the 1920s and '30s . . . If Houston beats Kansas City, it will set up the first consecutive-years rematch of teams in the MLS Cup. If Kansas City wins, it will be the second time teams from the same conference would meet in the MLS Cup. San Jose beat Western rival Los Angeles in the 2001 final.
