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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – By all accounts, Boston College alumnus Charlie Davies, who joined the Revolution via loan from Randers FC last week, is happy to be back in the Commonwealth. But there’s at least one person who’s even happier about it.

The way Davies tells it, his wife Nina, whom he met while attending classes at Chestnut Hill, was especially thrilled to return to the area after her husband had spent the bulk of the past six years playing in Europe.

“She’s ecstatic,” Davies said after training on Wednesday. “She gets to be around her friends and her family, so I’m happy because she’s so happy. And when you’re happy, you play well.”

Davies, 27, has been all smiles since partaking in his first Revolution training session on Tuesday. And even though he never hit his stride with Randers (0 goals in 23 games), Davies believes that a change in scenery -- a familiar one, at that -- could unlock his potential as playmaker.

“I think it’s special to be playing as a professional athlete in your hometown, or at least in your area,” Davies said. “So (Nina and I) both excited. I think it’s a perfect spot for me to excel.”

The Revolution front office and coaching staff are hoping for the same. The club currently sits three points below the fifth and final playoff spot, and could use all the firepower they can get down the stretch -- and not a moment too soon, especially with Juan Agudelo on the mend and Dimitry Imbongo suspended for Saturday’s match.

Fortunately for the coaching staff, Davies’ fitness isn’t an issue. Prior to his arrival, he trained regularly with Randers during their preseason, so it is not outside the realm that he could make his debut in Saturday’s clash against Chicago.

“We’re going day-by-day with Charlie,” Heaps said after Wednesday’s training. “It’s the second day we’ve had him (in training), but I think he’s definitely fit.”

The question, of course, is how Heaps intends to utilize the dynamic Davies. Although a center forward by trade, Davies could see playing time on the flank, where he can use his speed and savvy to stretch a defense in Heaps’ 4-3-3/4-1-4-1 formation.

But wherever he plays, Davies clearly has the heart of a striker, as evidenced by his new number -- 99 -- which he called “the new 9.”

“I thought it was a cool number to have,” Davies said with a smile. “I mean, it’s my favorite number twice, so why not?”

The opportunity presented to the kid from Manchester, N.H. is a “special” one, according to Davies. As child, he was one of many faces in the crowd at Gillette Stadium and, prior to that, the now-demolished Foxboro Stadium. He cheered on the likes of Joe-Max Moore, Walter Zenga, and even the man who signed him -- general manager Mike Burns, who played for the Revolution from 1996-2000.

“It’s still a little surreal,” Davies said. “It still hasn’t hit me that I’m playing professional soccer at home, and the text messages and phone calls keep pouring in from long-lost friends. But it’s great to be back.”

Now, the 27-year-old takes center stage in front of that same crowd, hoping to steer the club he once rooted for to their first postseason appearance in four years.

“It’s like a childhood dream to come here and play for the Revolution at Gillette Stadium, so I’m just looking forward to it,” Davies said. “I think my experience, as well as my skill set, will really help this team going forward.”

It was nothing short of a numbing experience for the Revolution at Sporting Park on Saturday.

On a night in which Kei Kamara scored two goals in near-identical fashion, a pair of Revolution players were red carded and an ex-teammate scored in stoppage time, it was patently clear that very little went right in a humiliating 3-0 loss to Sporting Kansas City.

“We weren’t great,” Revolution midfielder Chris Tierney told the media after the game. “I’m not sure there’s much more you can say about it. We didn’t start well and conceded a bad goal.”

Kansas City successfully employed its high-pressure approach right out of the chute, testing the Revolution backs early and often enough to earn 77 percent of the possession in the first 10 minutes.

“They’re a good possession team,” Revolution right back Andrew Farrell told the media after the game. “We let them have a lot of the ball. Against a team like them, the difference between a win and a loss is taking your chances when you get them.”

Although the Revolution were able to keep Kansas City off the board by the midway point of the first half, Kamara broke through in the 25th minute when he elevated over Kevin Alston, who’d earned his first start over four months, and buried Soony Saad’s cross via the header.

“Our thought process was that we wanted to have a physical presence on Kamara,” Revolution head coach Jay Heaps told the media after the game. “You hope for a spark, but tonight we were flat all the way around.”

Down, but far from out with plenty of time to uncover an equalizer, Dimitry Imbongo gave his teammates hope when he took hold of a Lee Nguyen ball and fired a close shot that Jimmy Nielsen poked away at the last second. That glimpse allowed the Revolution to believe their time might come in the second half.

“We tried to push forward a little more to help Dimitry up top,” Farrell said “But when you get down 2-0 and pick up a red card, it gets really hard. At that point it kind of just broke down, so we tried to just not give up any more goals.”

The score went to 2-0 when Kamara tallied on another Saad cross in the 50th minute. Fifteen minutes later, the situation went from dire to hopeless when Imbongo’s second caution left the Revolution shorthanded at Sporting Park for the duration.

As if things couldn’t get any worse for the guests, second half substitute Andy Dorman was issued a red card for a hard challenge from behind on Kamara near the halfway line. The final moment of humiliation came two minutes into stoppage time when Benny Feilhaber, who spent the last two seasons in New England, curled a brilliant free kick inside the left post.

Given the widespread failures the Revolution suffered from start to finish, it wasn’t surprising that Tierney was already looking ahead to Saturday’s home game against Chicago.

“We’ll look forward to a positive reaction at home,” Tierney said. “We’ve had two bad results in a row. We’ve talked about it all year that we don’t want to go on losing streaks. So it’s time to draw the line in the sand, and we’ll come out next week fired up.”

Kei Kamara scored on each side of halftime to send the Revolution, who ended the game with nine men, to their second straight loss in a 3-0 Sporting Kansas City victory at Sporting Park on Saturday.

Kamara's first strike came in the 28th minute, when he elevated above Kevin Alston inside the box and headed a Soony Saad cross beyond the reach of Bobby Shuttleworth. His second goal came on another ball from Saad as he powered home a header in the 50th minute.

Former Revolution midfielder Benny Feilhaber piled it on in the 90+2 minute when his free kick from the doorstep of the area casually curled into the back of the net.

Dimitry Imbongo's second caution in the 64th minute and second-half substitute Andy Dorman's straight red card in the 86th minute forced the Revolution to finish with two fewer than they started with.

The Revolution's best chance to score came in the 40th minute when Lee Nguyen dropped a ball on the heel of Imbongo, who beat the backline and fired a shot that Jimmy Nielsen dismantled well in front of frame.

The Revolution's loss ended their two-game road winning streak and saw their record go to 8-9-6 (30 points), while Kansas City snapped their two-game losing streak and upped their mark to 11-7-6 (39 points).

What it means: Although the Revolution came into Saturday's match winners of their last two road matches, they probably would've been satisfied with a point at Sporting Park. Given the difficulties that Kansas City's high-pressure often causes for an opponent, it wasn't long before the Revolution crumpled under the weight of all the numbers the hosts sent forward. With the Revolution chasing the game after Kamara's second goal, the situation went from bad to worse shortly thereafter with Imbongo's ejection. Dorman's dismissal, along with Feilhaber's stoppage time goal, brought the match to farcical proportions thanks to some questionable decisions by referee Baldomero Toledo. All in all, it was the kind of game the Revolution will quickly toss into the wastebasket with another important match against Chicago next weekend.

Stat of the game: Saturday's loss marked the second time in their last three games at Sporting Park that the Revolution have dropped a 3-0 decision to Kansas City. The last time it happened came on March 17, 2012 -- a game which also saw the Revolution finish shorthanded due to a 15th-minute red card to Stephen McCarthy.

Lineup changes: Jay Heaps made a number of tweaks to his lineup at Sporting Park. Kevin Alston got the start at left back, his first since being cleared to play following the news of his leukemia diagnosis. Meanwhile, Chris Tierney pushed up to the left midfielder's spot, while Kelyn Rowe returned to the attacking midfielder's role. Diego Fagundez, who started 16 of the club's last 17 games, began the game on the bench before coming on for Alston in the 57th minute as the Revolution went to a 3-5-2 formation.

Next up: The Revolution will look to bounce back next Saturday when they host the Chicago Fire for the first of a two-game homestand. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

It’s no stretch to say that Revolution general manager Michael Burns knows what to expect from newly acquired forward Charlie Davies.

The 27-year-old Manchester, N.H. native and Boston College alum was acquired on loan in a complex deal involving Randers FC (Denmark) and D.C. United.

“He’s a local product who’s been on our radar since his teenage years,” Burns said Friday via a news release. “So we’re pleased the opportunity arose to bring him to our club.”

Granted, that opportunity may not have presented itself at the crest of Davies’ career. On the contrary: The Revolution are adding a once-promising national team prospect who’s attempting to revive his career.

Four summers ago, Davies was a star in the making. He was a major part of the U.S. men’s national team’s improbable run to the 2009 Confederations Cup final, a forum that showcased his speed and playmaking abilities. Combined with his success at French club Sochaux FC, the up-and-coming Davies appeared to be a shoo-in for a spot on the World Cup roster in 2010.

But in October 2009, his promising career was derailed after he was seriously injured in a car accident that claimed the life of a female passenger. He suffered multiple broken bones and the months of grueling rehabilitation he underwent in the aftermath forced him to miss the 2010 World Cup altogether.

Sixteen months after the accident, he returned to the pitch in December 2010 with Sochaux, but was loaned to D.C. United prior to the start of the 2011 season. He thrived in the nation’s capital, scoring 11 goals in 26 games. But once the loan expired following the season, he returned to Sochaux, only to discover that his role there had been greatly reduced.
Last summer, he signed a deal with Randers, hoping to reclaim the scoring form that eluded him toward the end of his tenure at Sochaux. It marked a fresh start for the former B.C. Eagle. It was an opportunity to revive his career in the increasingly competitive Danish Superliga. Those hopes were never realized, though, as Davies struggled mightily, and failed to find the back of the net in 23 games.

With his career stuck in neutral for the past 18 months, the Revolution decided to take a chance on the player they’ve monitored since his teenage years. And that’s really what this signing represents for both sides: A chance.

For Davies, whom Burns called “an exciting, dynamic player” in the team release, it’s an opportunity to rediscover the scoring touch that has eluded him for the better part of two years -- and in the comforts of his home state. While expectations for summertime acquisitions often reach dizzying altitudes, the Davies signing is the exception.

He will not be called upon to don a red cape and save the Revolution. In fact, with Juan Agudelo, Diego Fagundez and Saer Sene already shouldering the load on offense, Davies will likely serve in more of a sidekick role, an attacking player head coach Jay Heaps can inject into the attack when it starts to dull. And with injuries plaguing Agudelo and Sene in recent weeks, the addition of Davies will also provide necessary depth at forward down the stretch, an idea Burns alluded to in the team release.

“Charlie’s arrival will give us more options on the field and will hopefully be a great boost as we head into the final few months of the season in search of a playoff berth,” Burns said.

The Revolution (8-8-6), who currently sit three points behind the final postseason berth, are not only banking on the idea that a change in scenery -- familiar scenery, at that -- will rejuvenate Davies’ career. They’re also hoping that the chance they took on Davies will bolster their postseason ambitions, as well.

STOKE CITY FC announced the signing of Revs forward Juan Agudelo to a pre-contract agreement.

He will join the Potters on January 1, 2014 once his contract with New England Revolution is over.

The Revs released the following statement: “Juan is a talented player and he has put himself into a position to have options abroad at the end of his MLS contract this December. We always knew there was a possibility he would choose to explore these opportunities when we traded for him earlier this year, and we’re happy for Juan that he has earned this opportunity at Stoke. We’re looking forward to his return to the field with us for the remainder of the season as soon as he is back and fit from his recent injury.”

Stoke City manager Mark Hughes said: “We’ve put a lot of work into this deal, and I am delighted that we have managed to get the deal over the line.

“It’s a good deal for us, because he is a very good young player who boasts a lot of talent as well as a lot of potential too.

“I’ve known of him for a couple of years now. He burst on to the scene for the United States at the age of 17 and everybody has paid attention to him since.

“I have kept my eye on him for the last 18 months, and thankfully we were in a position where we were able to pull this deal off.”

The Revolution announced the addition of Charlie Davies to the roster. Davies comes to the Revs on loan with a purchase option from Denmark’s Randers FC after the Revs traded their final natural selection in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft to D.C. United to obtain him.

Davies is expected to join the Revs at their next training session in Foxborough, on Tuesday, Aug. 13.

Davies, 27, joins the Revs from Randers FC. A Manchester, N.H., native, Davies was an All-American at Boston College before signing with Swedish club Hammarby in December 2006.

“Charlie is an exciting, dynamic player who we believe can excel with us,” Revolution General Manager Michael Burns said. “He’s a local product who’s been on our radar since his teenage years, so we’re pleased the opportunity arose to bring him to our club. Charlie’s arrival will give us more options on the field, and will hopefully be a great boost as we head into the final few months of the season in search of a playoff berth.”

After 55 league appearances that produced 21 goals at Hammarby, Davies moved to French club Sochaux in July 2009.

After recovering from serious injuries suffered in a car accident in late 2009, Davies was loaned to MLS club D.C. United for the 2011 season, where he scored 11 goals in 26 appearances. Following his time in D.C., Davies returned to Sochaux for the remainder of the 2011-12 season before moving to Randers FC.

Nearly three months after his last appearance in MLS action, midfielder Kalifa Cisse and the New England Revolution agreed to terminate his hefty contract on Tuesday.

Cisse, who last saw league action on May 11 against New York, signed a three-year contract worth $400,000 annually during the offseason, making the 29-year-old former English Premier League pro the highest paid player on the roster.

“We want to thank Kalifa for his time with us and wish him well on his future opportunities,” Revolution general manager Michael Burns said in a statement. “He has been a true professional and a great mentor for our young squad, so we wish him the best as he moves on.”

Cisse, a defensive midfielder by trade, got into only six league games for the Revolution in 2013. A combination of injuries and the emergence of homegrown player Scott Caldwell, who’s taken over the starting spot at defensive midfielder, served to push the seasoned veteran further down the depth chart.

The Mali international signed with the Revolution on Nov. 19, 2012 following a trial with the club last fall. With successful stints in the EPL with Reading and The Championship with Bristol City, Cisse appeared to bring some much-needed leadership and technical skill to a New England midfield that was essentially in shambles by the end of the 2012 season.

But Cisse never provided what the Revolution were looking for when they signed him -- at least not consistently. He appeared slow and indecisive in preseason contests, but seemed to put those performances behind him when he came out strong during the club’s season-opening 1-0 win in Chicago on March 9.

A right groin injury forced him to miss the next three games, but he returned for the April 13 contest in Seattle. From there, he started four of the next five, but shortly thereafter, lost his starting spot to Caldwell, a 22-year-old rookie.

Cisse later saw action in Open Cup competition, playing in the Revolution’s third- and fourth-round matches against Rochester and New York. A left knee sprain slowed him shortly after the fourth round win over New York on June 12, and he would not see the field for the Revolution again.

Although his name wasn’t on the injury report in recent weeks, Cisse failed to make the active roster during the club’s recent three-game road trip. With Caldwell regularly manning the defensive midfielder’s role, and the Revolution pushing for a postseason berth without the assistance of Cisse, the writing was on the wall that his time in New England was nearing its end.

On Sunday, Burns hinted to the media that the club was looking to sign a player before the close of the transfer window on Thursday -- a move that would likely require a corresponding move.

“We are looking to add before Thursday, but there’s nothing to announce yet,” Burns said. “There’s a good chance that something may happen, but it’s not done.”

The agreement to terminate Cisse’s contract will make it easier for the Revolution to make an addition before Thursday’s deadline, especially taking into account the central midfielder’s salary.

Cisse may not have been a part of the club’s push toward the playoffs, but his departure should open up a roster spot for someone who can.

New England Revolution forward Juan Agudelo has agreed to join Stoke City of the English Premier League after his MLS contract expires Dec. 31, according to a report by soccerbyives.net.

Agudelo, 20, has signed a multiyear deal to join Stoke in January, the report said.

Chivas USA traded Agudelo to the Revolution in May for allocation money. He has scored five goals in 11 MLS matches while battling a knee injury this season.

Agudelo made 14 appearances with the U.S. national team in 2011 but has fallen out of favor under Jurgen Klinsmann. He last appeared as a substitute in a January friendly against Canada but did not feature in this year's World Cup qualifiers or the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Stoke already has three Americans on their squad: Geoff Cameron, Brek Shea and Maurice Edu.

The Revolution released a statement on their official website following the report Tuesday.

"We are aware of the stories circulating about Juan Agudelo, but as we're sure you can understand, we cannot address anything publicly unless an official announcement has been made," the statement said. "But we can state that Juan is near full health and due back to the squad soon to help us as we push toward the playoffs the last three months of the season."

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Chris Tierney can’t put a finger on what’s keeping the Revolution from coming out of the gate strong. But he knows it’s not helping the club stay inside the postseason race.

Eight days after rallying back against D.C. United, the early goal reared its ugly head again on Sunday. This time, however, there was no coming back as the Revolution dropped a disappointing 1-0 loss to ninth-place Toronto FC.

Matias Laba’s second-minute goal -- the earliest given up by the Revolution all season -- gave the hosts almost no time to set the tempo in front of the home crowd, something that Revolution players and coaches hoped to do after last week’s lethargic start.

“The goal just killed us,” Tierney said. “We’ve been talking about starts and how we need to improve them, and it’s the same thing tonight. We just didn’t start well.”

Not only did the Toronto players waste little time getting on the board, but they hardly exerted themselves in doing so.

Near the halfway line, Labas dispossessed the normally reliable Jose Goncalves and ran into plenty of space before Stephen McCarthy picked him up. But Labas faked out McCarthy and cut inside, where his first shot initially was denied by Scott Caldwell. Undeterred, Labas grabbed the rebound and punched it through just as the Revolution faithful were settling into their seats.

“It’s a tough one because we haven’t given away a lot of goals this year,” Revolution coach Jay Heaps said. “And when you do, it hurts.”

But the early goal didn’t appear to crush the Revolution’s spirits. Rather, they reasserted themselves and found plenty of opportunities to equalize in the first half.

In the 18th minute, Juan Toja played a ball along the touchline to Dimitry Imbongo, who then veered toward the box before his far post pass was pushed away by Joe Bendik. But the rebound fell right in front of Diego Fagundez, who immediately fired a shot destined for the back of the net before Ashtone Morgan raced over to clear it off the line.

The Revolution claimed another chance to tie it in the 34th minute. Andrew Farrell, who contributed to the attack regularly in the first half, acrobatically bicycle-kicked a ball into the box, where Saer Sene headed in front to Fagundez. But for the second time in 16 minutes, Fagundez had his shot rerouted by a Toronto defender, this time by Richard Eckersley.

“I thought in the first half, our final balls were good,” Heaps said. “They had two balls cleared off the line. Credit their defenders because they made a couple of good plays.”

Although the Revolution’s attack was sharp in the first 45 minutes, they struggled to resume their enterprising form in the latter half.

With Toronto bunkering in and hoping to see the game out, Fagundez, Imbongo and Sene weren’t given the space they regularly found before the break.

“We just kept putting ourselves in a deeper hole in the second half by continuing not being able to finish,” Revolution midfielder Lee Nguyen said. “It was a frustrating night.”

Despite their ineffective second half form, the Revolution managed to find a pair of chances for redemption near the final whistle.

In the 90th minute, Kelyn Rowe looped a ball toward the left post for Nguyen, who tapped the pass on frame. But Bendik raced over to deny the opportunity. Moments later, Tierney sent a ball inside the box for Fagundez, who side-volleyed his shot off the post.

However, a Revolution equalizer wasn’t meant to be against a plucky Toronto team that won its second straight by antagonizing its hosts for the duration of the game.

“We had plenty of chances to tie the game, especially in the first half, and we just couldn’t convert,” Tierney said. “It’s just an extremely frustrating night all around.”

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- For the second straight game, the Revolution conceded an early goal, but this time they couldn’t dig themselves out of the hole in a 1-0 loss to Toronto FC at Gillette Stadium on Sunday.

Matias Laba’s second-minute strike was the earliest goal the Revolution have conceded all season, while Joe Bendik made a pair of saves to help give ninth-place Toronto (4-10-8, 20 points) its second straight win.

The loss drops the Revolution back to .500 at 8-8-6 (30 points), sending them back to sixth place in the Eastern Conference after Houston beat Columbus on Saturday.

What it means: It wasn’t for lack of effort that the Revolution failed to claim points at home for the second time in as many games. After Laba’s strike, the Revolution attack staked a number of chances to level it in the first half, as a pair of sure strikes from Diego Fagundez were cleared off the line by Toronto defenders. New England’s offense wasn’t as effective in the second frame, although it took a bold save from Bendik at the near post to keep Lee Nguyen’s close-range effort in the 90th minute out of the net. But in the end, timely defending and stout goalkeeping were enough to keep the Revolution from claiming the three points they should have gotten over four-win Toronto.

Stat of the game: Despite only having 36.2 percent of the possession, Toronto was able to hold off the Revolution, who were handed a shutout loss for the first time since March 30 when FC Dallas beat them, 1-0.

Toja gets surprise start: Midfielder Juan Toja, who hadn’t started the Revolution’s last two games, got his first start since the club’s 2-1 loss at Colorado on July 17. The Colombian midfielder helped the attack create a handful of chances in the first half before coming off in the 60th minute for Kelyn Rowe.

Next up: The Revolution return to the road on Saturday to face Sporting Kansas City at Sporting Park. Kickoff is set for 8:30 p.m. ET.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- They may not be a mystery wrapped in a riddle inside an enigma, but it’s safe to say that Toronto FC’s rotating cast of characters poses a unique challenge to the New England Revolution on Sunday.

Although the aforementioned clubs have already met this year (May 25), injuries and trades have reshaped Toronto’s starting lineup since then. With that in mind, this week’s focus for the Revolution has been improving its own form rather than worrying too much about Toronto.

“Knowing what Toronto is going to do, (because) it’s changing week to week, is hard to predict,” Heaps said. “So we have to worry about ourselves and control what we can control -- and that’s how hard we train this week and things that we have to prepare for.”

At first blush, ninth-place Toronto appears to be a team that the fifth-place Revolution should have little problem getting points from. In fact, the Reds were recently mired in a six-game winless streak until they rallied to beat Columbus 2-1 in stoppage time at BMO Field last week.

But that win -- which saw the likes of Jonathan Osorio, Matias Laba and Bobby Convey aid Toronto’s comeback efforts against the Crew -- has given Heaps enough pause for concern ahead of Sunday’s contest.

“One thing you look at with Toronto is that you see some shape coming to form,” Heaps said. “Meaning guys like Laba, Osorio, Convey and (Jeremy) Brockie -- those players are starting to play well together and they’re reading the game well. So whether they’re wide, or left, or inside, they’re (always) interchanging, which is difficult, and we have to be prepared for that.”

Another thing they’ll have to be ready for is a team that comes into Sunday’s game as confident as ever with last week’s late-game triumph still fresh in their minds.

“They got a really good result last week and they’re coming off a high,” Revolution center back Stephen McCarthy said. “So, it’s going to be important to come out strong at the beginning of the game and try to get in their head a little bit.”

Easier said than done, of course. Last week, the Revolution were bull-rushed right from the opening whistle by a surprisingly-efficient D.C. attack, which put enough pressure on the typically-resolute Revolution defense to concede an uncharacteristic early goal.

In light of last week’s early embarrassment, McCarthy said that he and his teammates have to come out “hot” this week, and mentally focused on pressuring their opponent right out of the gate.

“It’s really a mindset,” McCarthy said. “We have a formula to try and play some balls over the top and press them instead of getting pressed. That was the game plan in D.C., and I screwed that up playing some bad long balls, but we know how to play. We know how to do that and I think we’ll try to do that this week.”

Setting the tempo will be crucial to the Revolution. It almost cost them points last week, and with the club back at Gillette Stadium following a three-game road trip, the club can’t live as dangerously as they did in D.C. -- especially against an opponent as unpredictable as Toronto.

“Last time we were at home, we lost to Houston,” Heaps said. “So it’s important for us to go out there and let everyone know that this is our place and let Toronto know that they’ve played against us.”

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The Revolution may be winners of their last two, but don't be fooled: They aren't exactly playing up to the standard that's been set for them by head coach Jay Heaps.

While last week's win in D.C. vaulted them into the final playoff spot in the conference, Heaps still sees plenty of room for improvement.

"We haven't played particularly well in the last three games," Heaps said after training on Wednesday. "We have to pick up the things that we're doing."

One area the Revolution will be looking to improve upon in Sunday's contest against Toronto FC is their first-half form. Last week, D.C. collected no fewer than five dangerous chances inside of 10 minutes, and Luis Silva's 8th-minute goal put the Revolution in an early hole.

"Jay talked a lot about playing the ball longer to start in D.C. and turning them around and trying to stretch the field," Revolution defender Chris Tierney said after training on Wednesday. "I don't think we did a good enough job of doing that."

According to Tierney, the best way to overcome the first-half struggles, and thwart the kind of second-half pressure they faced in Colorado and Columbus, is to execute, pure and simple.

"If we stick to our game plan and what Jay's trying to get us to do right off the bat, we'll have more success," Tierney said.

Toronto on tap: For the third straight week, the Revolution will face a lower-ranked club, as ninth-place Toronto FC makes its way to Gillette Stadium for the second time this season.

But given the difficulties they encountered against Columbus and D.C., the Revolution know they'd be fools to take Toronto lightly.

"You have to respect every team in the league, and we do," Tierney said. "So we'll prepare the same way that we would for a first-place team."

While Toronto certainly hasn't played like a first-place team this season, Tierney could care less about where they sit in the standings. Rather, he's focused on the task at hand.

"No matter who we're playing against, we should take three points at home," Tierney said. "I think the opponent is irrelevant at this point (in the season)."

Taking it "one play at a time": One concept that Heaps has impressed upon his players as they try to secure the club's first postseason berth in four years is the classic "one game at a time" approach. But on Wednesday, the Revolution head coach took it a step further.

"Our game is one play at a time," Heaps said. "We have to put together moments (and) I thought we did that well in the second half at D.C. But we were in a hole, and we don't want to get into a hole. We have to play one play at a time, and be prepared for what Toronto's going to do against us."

It was a scenario that Kevin Alston had thought about non-stop for nearly four months. And on Saturday, it finally became reality.

In the 84th minute of the Revolution’s 2-1 win over D.C. United, the 25-year-old defender sprang from the technical area to replace Dimitry Imbongo and, in the process, officially completed his comeback from chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML).

“It was ... it was unbelievable,” Alston, a native of Washington, D.C., told the media after the game. “My parents were there, my brother was there, my grandfather was there, all my family and friends, so it made it special to be able to do it in front of them.”

The story of Alston’s battle with CML -- a rare, but treatable form of leukemia -- goes back to the last time he saw the field, which came on March 30 against FC Dallas. In the closing minutes, Alston, a player regularly went 90 minutes, felt fatigued enough to come out of the game before full time.

After undergoing a battery of tests, Alston received the devastating diagnosis: He had leukemia.

Under the advice of his doctors, the fifth-year defender announced that he would take a leave of absence from the club in order to receive treatment. At the time, his status for returning to the field this season -- or ever, for that matter -- was up in the air.

Fortunately, his body responded well to the treatment, which included a battery of medication. Before long, he was back on the training pitch working his way back to fitness. But there were times in which he felt so close, yet so far way to making his return to the pitch.

“I’ve had to be very patient,” Alston said. “A lot of patience was necessary because there was so much unknown. I didn’t know how long it would be or what the recovery process would be.”

After going through two weeks of full training, the Revolution reactivated Alston on July 15. Although he was listed among the gameday 18 in the club’s next two matches, all he could do was watch and wait for his turn.

Initially, Revolution head coach Jay Heaps wanted ease Alston back into game action by sending him to the club’s USL-PRO affiliate in Rochester for “a game or two.” But with left back Chris Tierney battling a knee injury, that idea was scrapped, especially in light of last week’s grueling stretch of games.

“We needed a player and we needed an outside back,” Heaps told the media on Saturday. “We needed cover and you saw how it changed tonight when we were able to get Chris up. It’s almost like a signing and a lot of the players feel like we added a really excellent outside back.”

With the Revolution up a goal late, and Imbongo hobbling around with a knock, Heaps had a choice. He could keep his back line intact and add another midfielder. Or, he could go with Alston, who anxiously warmed up with his fellow reserves hoping to get the call.

Truthfully, though, there was no choice. Heaps brought him over to the technical area, where Alston shed his practice top to reveal a white undershirt that read “FIGHTER” and donned his familiar number 30 jersey for the first time since March.

“He’s been itching to get on the field,” Heaps said. “You could see when he came on he was like a shot out of a cannon.”

In six minutes of action, Alston put together five passes, and collected a couple of throw-ins. His contributions may have been modest, but the impact of his return was anything but.

“Everybody came over to congratulate me,” Alston said. “I was trying my hardest not to cry; I was fighting tears. They’ve been supportive since the start and they showed it again tonight.”

Diego Fagundez scored the game-winner and cleared a dangerous D.C. shot off the line to steer the New England Revolution to a 2-1 win over D.C. United on Saturday at RFK Stadium.

Fagundez denied a Daniel Woolard header off the line in the 10th minute, then tipped a 1-1 game in the Revolution’s favor when he tallied in the 63rd minute.

Dimitry Imbongo scored for the first Revolution goal in the 54th minute from a Chris Tierney cross. Luis Silva opened the scoring with an eighth-minute blast from 30 yards.

With the win, the Revolution close out their three-game road trip 2-1-0 and improve their record to 8-7-6 (30 points). D.C. United remains winless in their last five (0-4-1), as their record dropped to 2-15-4 (10 points).

What it means: It turns out that the third time was a charm for the Revolution when pitted against the bottom-feeding United. After settling for a disappointing 0-0 draw on June 8, then losing 3-1 in the Open Cup quarterfinals on June 26, the Revolution finally found a way to beat the worst team in MLS. With two straight wins -- and on the road, no less -- against lower-ranked teams, the Revolution finally are starting to get maximum points from winnable games.

Stat of the game: Saturday’s win gave the Revolution their first set of consecutive wins on the road in more than six years. The last time they won consecutive games on the road came on May 12 (3-2 at Los Angeles) and May 19, 2007 (1-0 at Houston).

Fagundez finding groove again: After going without a goal in six straight games between June 8 and July 17, Fagundez tallied in his second straight game. On the season, Fagundez has a team-high seven goals.

Alston returns: Kevin Alston made his first appearance since being diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia back in April when he came on for Dimitry Imbongo in the 84th minute. The fifth-year fullback played in the club’s first four games of the season before receiving the diagnosis, which prompted him to take a leave of absence to receive treatment. He officially rejoined the roster on July 15.

Caldwell left off lineup again: Scott Caldwell found himself on the bench for the second straight game with Clyde Simms manning the defensive midfield role at the opening whistle. But it wasn’t long before Caldwell entered the game, as coach Jay Heaps inserted him at halftime for Simms.

Next up: With their three-game road trip in the books, the Revolution returns home Aug. 4 for their first game of the season against Toronto FC. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

If there’s one important lesson the Revolution have come to learn in the past 365 days, it’s this: Adapt or die.

Last summer, the squad came within a game of .500 before it was roughed up and outmuscled by clubs keen on throwing the Revolution off their game. The damage sent them into a 10-game tailspin and dashed their postseason hopes.

Since then, the Revolution gradually have evolved into a side that can weather the elbows, forearms and fouls just as well they can play a smooth and creative game. For proof, just look at last week’s gritty 2-0 win over the disheveled and desperate Crew.

“I thought it was a good, versatile win for us,” Revolution coach Jay Heaps told reporters on Wednesday. “It wasn’t our best soccer, by any stretch, but we scored on a set piece, we battled until the 90th minute and the game went our way.”

Similarly, the Revolution will have to recognize early what kind of game the bottom-feeding D.C. United will bring to the RFK Stadium pitch on Saturday.

For all of D.C.’s well-documented struggles, the last-place club remains somewhat of an enigma to the Revolution, especially in the wake of their last two matchups.

On June 8, the United came into Gillette Stadium losers of nine in their last 10, and surprisingly put the lid on a Revolution attack that gobbled up nine goals in its previous three games. The final scoreline read 0-0, and with better precision, D.C. could have tilted the board in its favor.

Nearly three weeks later, D.C. took it a step further in Open Cup play by grabbing a shocking 3-1 quarterfinal victory over a Revolution offense that had scored nine goals in its last two tournament matches. So much for D.C. acting as the proverbial doormat.

“They’re obviously a team that can get some results,” Revolution goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth told reporters on Wednesday. “We can’t think about what they’ve done so far. They’ve got some good attacking players and some dangerous guys, so we need to go in there ready to play and be focused and try to get three (points).”

D.C. coach Ben Olsen certainly has some weapons on his squad, which boasts two former MVPs (Dwayne DeRosario and Carlos Ruiz), as well the potent Chris Pontius and Lionard Pajoy. All four have shown they can parlay defensive lapses into points on the board.

But scoring goals has been anything but easy for D.C. this season. Through 20 games, the talented club has only nine goals to show for its efforts. Nevertheless, Shuttleworth knows that the key to avoiding another disappointment against D.C. starts with the players in front of him.

“We’ve been able to get some good (defensive) pressure from our forwards,” Shuttleworth said. “Our midfielders have been in some good spots (too), and it makes it predictable for us in the back.”

But even though D.C. has already shown it can match the Revolution on the offensive and defensive fronts, midfielder Kelyn Rowe is ready for the kind of gritty game that unfolded in Columbus last week.

“We say it before every game -- it’s a fight first,” Rowe told reporters on Wednesday. “We have to make sure we win our individual battles, as well as the team battle.”

The way the Revolution react to those battles will be interesting to watch on Saturday. Heaps’ side sits two points shy of fifth place, and a win could be enough to bypass Dynamo for that final playoff berth.

Even so, the postseason picture will be the furthest thing from Heaps’ mind when he brings his squad onto the pitch at RFK Stadium on Saturday.

“I’ve been saying it for a while, but for us right now, it’s just one game at a time,” Heaps said. “We’re still a club that needs to grind (out) results. We need points, and we need to find a way to get them.”