MLS playoffs

Revolution manages one shot on goal, beats Chicago 1-0 to earn MLS Cup bid.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (Sunday, November 6, 2005) -- The New England Revolution managed only one shot on goal, but midfielder Clint Dempsey scored with it in the fourth minute, enough for a 1-0 triumph over the Chicago Fire this afternoon, earning the Revs a berth in next Sunday's MLS Cup 2005.

The Revolution, Major League Soccer's Eastern Conference champion, will face the Los Angeles Galaxy in the league title match at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Tex., a 3:30 p.m. (ET) game that will be televised on ABC.

New England will make its second appearance in the MLS Cup final, having lost to the Galaxy 1-0 in overtime at home in MLS Cup 2002.

Before 18,118 at Gillette Stadium, the Revs came out on attack and quickly got on the scoreboard. After Chicago midfielder Jesse Marsch fouled Revolution forward Taylor Twellman on the right flank, midfielder Daniel Hernandez quickly played the ensuing free kick, sending an angled ball into the penalty area and toward the right post.

Streaking into the box, midfielder Shalrie Joseph side-footed a pass toward the far post. Dempsey, who was making a run down the left flank, slid the ball into the net for the 1-0 lead.

"They had a lot of chances, but we were able to keep them out of the back of our net," Dempsey said. "We were able to get the win and that the most important thing. It wasn't pretty, but it got the job done and you have to give us credit for that."

Chicago outshot the Revs 14-4, 7-1 on frame, but were frustrated by seven saves by New England goalkeeper Matt Reis.

"With all the games we had with New England this year, if you look at the possession chart, we came out ahead," Fire coach Dave Sarachan said. "But that doesn't mean you win the games. We gave up an awful goal, from my standpoint. We fell asleep three minutes in and now you've got 87 minutes to try and get back into it, and we did everything we could to do that. But it just didn't fall for us."

Chicago appeared to have tied the game in stoppage time when Fire defender Gonzalo Segares hit a shot into the net, but the apparent goal was disallowed with Segares flagged for being in an offside position at the time the pass was played to him from midfield.

"Frankly, from my angle there's no chance I'm going to be able to know (if it's offside)," Sarachan said. "It's got to be 100 percent clear and only the replay will tell when I go and see it. It's frustrating, obviously, when you're battling and battling and taking every opportunity to get back into the game and then you get rewarded with a goal. If it's 100 percent offside, then hats off to the linesman. I can't comment because I wasn't in line with (the play)."

Chicago committed 28 fouls and had five players cautioned, four from the 73rd minute on, before reserve striker Andy Herron was shown a red card in stoppage time for abusive language. The Revolution committed 18 fouls, but received no yellow cards.

"We expected it to be physical. They are a physical team, but they can also play," New England coach Steve Nicol said. "They had the upper hand for the last 55 minutes. but we defended well. Sometimes, you have to defend to win. We'd love to win by scoring four, five, six goals against teams, but that's not reality. We got a goal and went tough, that's how we did it."

In the 14th minute, New England came close to expanding its advantage when midfielder Steve Ralston crossed a ball from the left side in front into the goal-mouth. Several Revs tried to get to the cross, but were held back by the Fire defenders before Chicago midfielder Jack Stewart played the ball over the end-line, just outside of the right post.

Two minutes later, Chicago looked to even the score when forward Chris Rolfe carried the ball up the left flank. As he neared the box, Rolfe lifted the ball over defender Michael Parkhurst and regained possession. As he neared the left post, Rolfe turned and took a shot, but Reis made the save.

In the 17th minute, New England had an scoring opportunity when midfielder James Riley sent an angled cross into the box from the right corner. Ralston's first-touch shot, however, ricocheted off Dempsey and back into the midfield.

At the start of the second half, Chicago pressed the attack. Reserve forward Chad Barrett ripped a shot that was denied by Reis who dove and punched it away in the 63rd minute. One minute later, Barrett laid a pass to Thiago whose shot from 19 yards out was again saved by Reis.

Chicago's pressure led to a flurry of chances in the 85th minute, but the Revs defense, led by Reis, held. In the 89th minute, Reis came off his line to intercept a cross by Thiago.

"It wasn't even about soccer in the end, it was about who wanted it most," Joseph said. "The game turned into a battle, there were a lot of 50-50 balls and guys were sliding all over the park. It basically came down to who wanted to win today."

Referee: Terry Vaughn. Referee's assistants: George Gansner, Craig Lowry. Attendance: 18,118 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough Stadium. Time of game: 1:52. Weather: Cloudy, 59 degrees.