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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The Revolution ended their winless streak at 10 after Dimitry Imbongo scored his first MLS goal to steer the hosts to a 2-0 win over the Crew at Gillette Stadium on Wednesday.

Imbongo, who filled in up top with Jerry Bengtson away on national team duty for Honduras, scored in the 53rd minute to break a scoreless game. The Revolution, who hadn't won since July 8, benefited from a Chad Marshall own goal in the 74th minute to extend the lead.

Meanwhile, Matt Reis made three saves to earn his second straight shutout.

With the win, the Revolution's record goes to 7-14-7 (28 points) while the Crew fall to 12-9-6 (42 points) and see their unbeaten streak snapped at six.

Rare win over Columbus: With Wednesday's win, the Revolution grabbed their first win over the Crew since a 1-0 victory at Crew Stadium on October 25, 2009. Prior to Wednesday's game, the Revolution had gone 0-4-2 in their previous six against the Crew.

Feilhaber fails to find the field: Revolution midfielder Benny Feilhaber, who started Saturday's game against the Union, was listed among the game-day 18, but did not make it onto the field during Wednesday's win.

Defense missing key pieces again: For the second straight game, AJ Soares and Chris Tierney were not a part of the Revolution starting XI, though Tierney did come on as a 73rd-minute substitute.

Bengtson unavailable: Revolution designated player Jerry Bengtson was not available for selection Wednesday after he was called up by his native Honduras for a pair of World Cup qualifiers on Friday and Tuesday.

Imbongo gets the start: With the absence of Bengtson, reserve striker Dimitry Imbongo got the start alongside Diego Fagundez. Prior to the game, Imbongo had played in three games with one start for the Revolution, who signed him on July 16.

Next up: The Revolution will enjoy a 10-day respite before they hit road for a conference clash on Sept. 15 against D.C. United at RFK Stadium, with kickoff at 7:30 p.m.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- It wasn’t easy being Matt Reis in recent weeks.

In the three games prior to Saturday’s contest, the Revolution goalkeeper had watched -- often helplessly -- eight shots find the back of his net as opponents sliced and diced the defense in front of him.

But with the Union in town, the 15-year veteran turned the page and stopped seven shots to earn his fifth shutout of the season on Saturday.

“Matt was huge,” Revolution defender Darrius Barnes said after Saturday’s 0-0 draw. “Matt saved us on a bunch of occasions. There were times we thought a couple of their players were offside and Matt bailed us out.”

Even though both attacks were slow to get their motors started, the Union unleashed a fierce offensive in the minutes leading up to the interval.

In the 39th minute, Gabriel Farfan launched a cross toward the far post that Sheanon Williams was ready to pounce on. But Reis came off his line to punch it away before the ball was cleared out of danger.

Four minutes later, Brian Carroll sneaked a pass through a pair of Revolution defenders toward Antoine Hoppenot, who grabbed it, then took it toward the near post. Though Hoppenot’s pounded a well-placed shot, Reis leaned to his right to close the door and keep the Union off the board.

“It was good to see Matty saving us quite a few times there today,” Revolution midfielder Benny Feilhaber said after the game. “It was good to see that, especially after the amount of goals we’ve given up in the last few games.”

After keeping the scoreboard unblemished in the first half, Reis was tested again in the opening moments of the second stanza. And it unfolded in strikingly similar fashion.

With Hoppenot beating the offside trap, Reis once again found himself as the last line of defense. This time, however, the veteran keeper extended his left leg and trapped Hoppenot’s shot before it inflicted any damage.

The Union were knocking on Reis’ doorstep again in the 54th minute when Williams hit a skipping shot through the legs of Michael Farfan, who screened the keeper on the shot. But once again, Reis came to the rescue as he followed the trick trajectory before covering it up deep in the six.

Yet, even though Revolution coach Jay Heaps called his reliable keeper “the best player on the field” during his postgame press conference, Reis was quick to credit a pair of rarely-used veteran defenders -- Barnes and Flo Lechner -- for the shutout.

“It’s a testament to the guys that plugged in and we stepped in there,” Reis said after the game. “We did a good job of communicating tonight and that kept everyone in the game.”

While it was clear that Reis and his defenders had an open dialogue throughout Saturday’s game, Barnes hinted that the veteran keeper’s shot-stopping prowess on Saturday only served as a reminder of his ability to rescue his teammates from certain disaster.

“He’s been bailing us out all year,” Barnes said. “He’s come up with big saves and that’s what we expect from our veteran keeper.”

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- If it's not one thing, then it's another when it comes to the circumstances surrounding the Revolution's current winless streak, which was extended to a franchise-high 10 straight following Saturday's 0-0 draw with the Union.

With the Revolution having scored seven goals in their previous three games, it seemed as if the defense -- which conceded eight within the same timeframe -- could tighten up, the attack would do the rest and the slide could finally come to a stop.

The defense held up its end of the bargain Saturday. The offense? Well, let's just say the Revs weren't in peak form.

"We couldn't create much offensively," Revolution midfielder Benny Feilhaber said after the game. "We were working hard defensively and we couldn't create much offensively, so that's (both) a positive and a negative."

The positive, of course, was the solid play of the makeshift back four. With Chris Tierney and AJ Soares unavailable due to injury, head coach Jay Heaps had to plug Darrius Barnes and Flo Lechner into the back line.

Although both had been used sparingly prior to Saturday's match, they brought a welcome sense of veteran savvy -- especially Lechner, who's never been shy to talk with his teammates in transition.

"Everybody was really trying to stay turned on," Revolution keeper Matt Reis said. "We did a good job of communicating tonight and that kept everyone in the game."

The defensive effort wouldn't have been complete without the remarkable play of Reis. The 15-year-veteran not only talked it up with his defenders, but also made a number of impressive saves to keep the Union off the board.

Granted, the eighth-place Union weren't the toughest opponent the Revolution had faced all season. In fact, the guests arrived in Foxboro with a five-game winless streak tethered to their name.

But on Saturday, the Union used the Revolution's offensive ineptitude to their advantage. While the hosts struggled to get something as simple a simple look on frame, Philadelphia dug up handful of chances prior to the interval.

In the 43rd minute, a Union counterattack sent Brian Carroll forward before he sprung Antoine Hoppenot, who went in alone on Reis. But the veteran keeper snuffed it out to keep it level at the half.

A minute later, Amobi Okugo nodded a Freddy Adu corner kick off the crossbar. The Union were coming close, but not close enough.

Reis was tested again in the opening moments of the second frame when Adu played a tempting ball ahead to Hoppenot, who saw his shot denied by the left leg of Reis.

"(Matt) was our best player," Revolution head coach Jay Heaps said. "For me, he made good saves. He came out for crosses, made some plays. It wasn't an easy night for him and he did well."

Shortly after Philadelphia's best chances came and went, the Revolution -- who hadn't fired a single shot until the 63rd minute -- finally created some chances of their own in the dying minutes.

In the 85th minute, Kelyn Rowe followed a deflected shot toward the far post, and immediately pounded it on frame. But Zac MacMath, who was rarely tested on the evening, stopped the effort cold in its tracks.

A minute into stoppage time, second-half substitute Dimitry Imbongo blasted a shot from distance that whistled just over the bar, as the Revolution pressed for a late game winner.

However, when it was all said and done, the attack simply couldn't find the form that had produced a flurry of goals lately.

"It was a jumbled-up game," Feilhaber said. "The chances were far and few in between. Most of the chances were off set pieces or just kind of random plays with balls kind of falling into people's laps."

Even though the offense wasn't sharp and the Revolution weren't able to snap their winless streak, Reis was encouraged by his team's improved focus against Philadelphia.

"Now, we know we can do it," Reis said. "It's difficult and it's tough, (but) hopefully we can keep that mental sharpness and add a little bit more of just keeping the ball. We had to defend a lot and we did a good job of doing it."

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- In a game in which the offense went missing, the Revolution extended their winless streak to a club-record 10 straight after a 0-0 draw against the Union at Gillette Stadium on Saturday.

Revolution keeper Matt Reis collected seven saves, while his counterpart Zac MacMath stopped three shots in a battle between the struggling Eastern Conference sides.

With the draw, the Revolution's record goes to 6-14-7 (25 points). The Union see their record go to 7-13-5 (26 points).

Shots hard to come by: The first Revolution shot didn't arrive until the 63rd minute when Stephen McCarthy headed a Benny Feilhaber free kick wide of frame. The first Revolution shot on target then arrived three minutes later when Kevin Alston fired a mild shot from distance that fell right to MacMath.

Sene out for season: Prior to the game, the Revolution announced that leading scorer Saer Sene will miss the rest of the season due to a torn ACL, which he suffered during Wednesday's contest against Chivas USA. In 25 games, the French forward scored 11 goals and added three assists.

Other notable absences: In addition to Sene, regular starters AJ Soares and Chris Tierney were not among the game-day 18. Soares was listed as "probable" due to whiplash on Friday's injury report. Tierney, however, was not listed on the injury report and his absence appears to have been to give him a rest after playing in each of the team's previous 25 games.

Go, go Diego: With Sene unavailable, Homegrown Player Diego Fagundez got the start alongside Jerry Bengtson up top. On Wednesday, the tandem saw 22 minutes of action after Sene was subbed off.

Benny's back: After starting Wednesday's game on the bench, midfielder Benny Feilhaber returned to the lineup against the Union.

Silence of the Revs: After scoring six first-half goals in their previous three games, the Revolution didn't muster a single shot -- on or off target -- during the first half of Saturday's match.

Next up: The Revolution will close out their three-game homestand at 8 p.m. Wednesday when they host the Columbus Crew. New England has yet to beat the Crew this season after settling for a 0-0 draw at Gillette Stadium on June 16 and suffering a 4-3 defeat at Crew Stadium on Aug. 25.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- It was a return for the ages Wednesday night at Gillette Stadium.

Less than a month after he was abruptly traded to Chivas USA, former Revolution midfielder Shalrie Joseph punished his former team by scoring two goals en route to a come-from-behind 3-3 draw against New England on Wednesday.

“It feels good to score two goals,” Joseph said after the game. “It doesn’t matter what team. It’s bittersweet that it’s against my old team, and it feels good.”

On a night he drew the loudest ovation from the Foxborough faithful, Joseph, who spent nearly a decade in a Revolution uniform, did not disappoint.

Yes, his two goals may have set the stage for the Goats' three-goal comeback. But perhaps more importantly, Joseph helped instill his trademark never-say-die attitude on a team that’s fighting to make a late run at a postseason berth.

“[Shalrie Joseph is] a confident leader,” Chivas USA Robin Fraser said after the game. “On the field he’s such an impactful player because he’s such a presence. He’s a big presence for us, and for teams to be successful you need a couple players like that and certainly he adds that to our team.”

No doubt Joseph was a presence for much of Wednesday’s match. After shaking off a costly turnover that led to the Revolution’s third goal, Joseph reverted to his former self and carried the club on his shoulders, just as he’d done so many times during his time in Foxborough.

“I just kept pushing guys and just believing [when the team went down 3-0],” Joseph said. “As you said, we were in a hole last week against Seattle, and we ended up scoring two like that. Once we started to push guys, we just got that feeling that we can be right back in it.”

And that’s exactly what Chivas USA did.

Two minutes after the Revolution reeled off their third goal of the game, the Goats earned a corner kick. And even though the deficit stood at three, the Goats only needed to score one to get things started.

With that in mind, Miller Bolanos guided his corner right into the area Joseph ran to, and a split second later the ball was bouncing inside the net. One down, two to go.

With halftime approaching and the Goats pressing the issue, Joseph grabbed a pass from Juan Agudelo and unleashed what could only be described as a “wonder goal.” Two down, one to go.

“I don't think I've seen Shalrie hit a ball with his left foot like that in 10 years,” quipped Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis.

Chivas used the momentum gained in the latter part of the first half to level it in the 47th minute, when Bolanos finished what Joseph started when he nodded through a Casey Townsend pass. Goodbye, three-goal deficit.

Although neither team could grab the go-ahead goal before the final whistle, it was clear that Joseph’s presence had a direct impact on the final score.

“Shalrie’s a gamer,” Revolution head coach Jay Heaps said. “I bet you he circled this one. Credit to him. He put this team on his back and he did a nice job.”

Yet, Joseph wasn’t in a hurry to shoulder all the praise. Although he may have been the primary actor in his team’s remarkable comeback, the man who wore the captain’s armband in Foxborough for so long instead put his team’s agenda at the forefront.

“It’s more than about me right now,” Joseph. “It’s about a team trying to make a playoff run. That’s what we’ve got to look forward to.”

Meanwhile, Joseph says he has “no hard feelings” against Heaps, who dropped Joseph from the starting lineup in the weeks leading to the trade. Not that there’s any time for it, of course. He and his new teammates are in the middle of a battle for a playoff spot.

“I can’t really dwell on that anymore,” Joseph said. “It’s in the past, and now I just have to make sure I practice every day and work hard every day, keep pushing this team and get ourselves into the playoffs.”

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- It was a return to remember for Shalrie Joseph, who scored two goals to help Chivas USA grab a 3-3 draw against the Revolution on Wednesday at Gillette Stadium.

Joseph, who played nearly 10 seasons in New England before he was traded to the Goats on Aug. 1, scored in the 23rd and 45+1 minutes, to help deliver his squad from a two-goal deficit before Miller Bolanos leveled it in the 47th minute. Joseph's former teammate Saer Sene opened the scoring the 4th minute and added another in the 21st minute. The Revolution also benefited from an own goal from the Goats in the 11th minute.

With the draw, the Revolution see their record go to 6-14-6 (24 points) while the Goats grab another point to send their record to 7-10-7 (28 points).

Winless streak matches all-time worst: The Revolution's current nine-game slide tied the longest winless streak in team history. New England previously went winless in nine from May 1 through July 13, 1999 (0-9) and May 21 through July 17, 2011 (0-6-3).

Another two-goal lead evaporates: For the second straight game, the Revolution built a two-goal advantage only to watch it disappear within the first 47 minutes.

Home success hard to come by lately: After going 5-1-3 in their first nine home games, the Revolution have gone winless in their last four and haven't won at Gillette Stadium since a 2-0 victory over the Red Bulls on July 8.

Revs defense opens the door: Joseph became the third player in the last two games to score two goals against the Revolution. Last week, the Crew's Federico Higuain and Jairo Arrieta each scored a pair of goals against New England, who dropped a 4-3 loss in Columbus.

Sene cracks double figures: Saer Sene's 4th-minute goal marked the first time in five years that a Revolution player scored double-digit goals in league play. The last player to do it was Taylor Twellman, who scored 16 during the 2007 season.

Goats tough to get by: With the draw, the Revolution have gone winless in their last six against Chivas USA (0-5-1). The Revolution's last win against the Goats came on Jul7 19, 2009.

Feilhaber back on the bench: For the second time in the last three games, Benny Feilhaber found himself listed among the game-day substitutes. However, he would come on in the 65th minute for Sene.

Next up: The second game of the Revolution's three-game homestand kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Saturday when they host the Philadelphia Union. On July 29, the Union handed the Revolution a 2-1 loss at PPL Park.

Benny Feilhaber was at a loss to describe it.

Following the Revolution’s frenzied 4-3 loss to the Crew on Saturday -- a loss which saw an early two-goal lead evaporate by halftime -- the midfielder had a hard time articulating what exactly happened to his club at Crew Stadium.

“The adjectives are kind of running out a little bit,” Feilhaber told RevsWrap after the game. “It’s frustrating to be in this kind of situation.”

“Frustrating” might be the best word to describe it. After jumping out to a two-goal advantage midway through the first half, the Revolution, by all appearances, looked keen to use their early form to snap their seven-game winless streak.

But that was before the Crew roared back with a vengeance. A pair of set piece strikes from Federico Higiuan and a sneaky run by Jairo Arrieta pulled the rug under the Revolution and allowed the hosts to walk into halftime with the lead.

Even though the Revolution pulled one back courtesy of a Lee Nguyen penalty in the 81st minute, Arrieta struck again five minutes later to dash the Revolution’s dream of claiming a rare road win in Columbus.

“Arrieta and Higuaín are really helping the Crew attack,” Revolution coach Jay Heaps said after the game. “(Columbus has) always defended well. They’ve always worked hard, so when you add those two players, they are really tough to beat.”

Although Heaps could only tip his cap to the Crew's revitalized attack, the first-year coach also saw a silver lining from the loss.

In his team’s previous seven, they’d only scored three goals combined. So even though the bottom line wasn’t exactly positive, Heaps couldn’t help but be pleased with the attack.

“I think we did a nice job in creating chances in the first half,” Heaps said. “(We) probably should have punished them more than just twice.”

However, the fact that the Revolution were creating chances was a marked improvement over last week’s 2-1 loss at Chicago -- a game in which the attack mustered only three shots on frame and looked, for the most part, lethargic.

Clearly, Saturday’s performance was a step up from what Heaps had seen in previous weeks. And it may have been just what the Revolution needed to snap out of its goalscoring funk.

Yet, that development was of little comfort to Feilhaber. Although he certainly reclaimed his form and assumed the role of offensive catalyst on Saturday, the playmaker couldn’t help but rue the missed opportunity.

“We put ourselves in a great position out of the gates,” Feilhaber said. “In the first (23) minutes, we’re up 2-0 away from home and we can’t even hold the lead until halftime. It’s something that can’t really be described, to be honest.”

In a wild, high-scoring affair that saw five first-half goals, Federico Higuain and Jairo Arrieta each grabbed a pair of goals to hand the Revolution a devastating 4-3 loss on Saturday at Crew Stadium.

The Revolution built an early two-goal lead thanks to strikes from Ryan Guy (17') and Jerry Bengtson (23'). But that lead crumbled when Higuain (26', 43') and Arrieta (32') put Columbus on top going into halftime. Lee Nguyen (81') brought the Revolution back to level terms late, but Arrieta got the last laugh when he netted his second goal of the game in the 86th minute.

With the loss, the Revolution extended their winless streak to eight (0-7-1) and saw their season mark dip to 6-14-5 (23 points). Meanwhile, the Crew bolstered their playoff hopes by upping their record to 10-8-6 (36 points).

Revs grab a multigoal road lead: The Revolution's early 2-0 advantage was the largest lead they've taken on the road since they opened up three-goal margin in Los Angeles on March 31 -- a game they ultimately won 3-1.

Revolution earn rare PK: For only the second time this season, the Revolution were awarded a penalty kick when Julius James dragged down Diego Fagundez inside the area in the 80th minute. A minute later, Lee Nguyen punched it through to level it at 3-3. The only other penalty the Revolution earned this season came against Houston on May 19, when Saer Sene converted from the spot after he was hauled down by Brad Davis.

Defensive issues aplenty: The Crew's four goals are the most the Revolution have conceded this season. Another stat the Revolution won't be proud of? The 4-3 loss marked the first time the Crew scored more than two goals in a game this season.

Nguyen begins game on bench: Lee Nguyen, who came off at halftime of last week's contest in Chicago, was among the substitutes for Saturday's game. The shifty midfielder was listed as "probable" (left ankle sprain) on Friday's injury report. He came into the match in the 62nd minute for Clyde Simms and scored his fifth goal of the season from the penalty spot in the 81st minute.

Columbus a tough club to crack: With the loss, the Revolution are 0-4-2 in their past six games against the Crew. Their last win against Columbus came on Oct. 25, 2009.

Feilhaber gets the start: A week after he was benched against the Fire, midfielder Benny Feilhaber returned to the starting lineup in Columbus. But instead of taking his usual spot in the central midfield, Feilhaber featured out on the left. Prior to Saturday's game, he was the only player on the roster to have scored against the Crew.

Next up: With the book closed on their two-game road trip, the Revolution return home to face Chivas USA at 8 p.m. Wednesday. The game also marks the return of former Revolution skipper Shalrie Joseph, who was traded to Chivas USA on Aug. 1.

With the playoffs out of reach, the Revolution turn their attention to spoiling the postseason hopes of the Crew this weekend in Columbus.

Although the Revolution have been reduced to the role of spoiler since the start of their current seven game skid (0-6-1), you can bet that Jay Heaps will have his squad motivated for Saturday’s clash.

But the Revolution need a lot more than motivation when they step onto the pitch at Crew Stadium. For a team that’s only scored three goals since their last win -- a 2-0 triumph over New York on Jul. 8 -- the fact of the matter is that their accuracy needs to improve inside the final third.

That won’t be easy to do against a Columbus squad that suffocated New England’s attack with ease during their Jun. 16 encounter. Using textbook counterattacking principles, the Crew patiently waited inside their own end, then flustered the Revolution with timely tackles and physical play. And while that may be a tactic that many opponents have carried with them to Gillette Stadium this season, the Crew remain a team that relies heavily on the hardnosed approach in the absence of a proven goalscorer.

Another thing the Revolution have to do on Saturday? Stay disciplined inside their 18. Last week, the Fire burned them early thanks to a sloppy A.J. Soares slide tackle that led to a Chris Rolfe penalty strike. And even though Fernando Cardenas leveled it minutes later, another mental lapse opened the door for Sherjill MacDonald to score the game-winner from a poorly-defended corner kick before the half.

Granted, the odds may not be in the Revolution’s favor. Not with the poor form they’ve shown in recent weeks, and most certainly not with the way they’ve played on the road this season. On paper, few would be faulted if they believed that the Revolution’s chances going into the game were slim-to-none.

But that idea ignores the fact that the Crew attack is, for all intents and purposes, a figment of the imagination. Yes, they may have lit the board twice in each of their last two. But if the Revolution can stay within themselves defensively and avoid the cavalier defending that’s doomed them in recent weeks, a result -- if not a win -- is entirely possible for team that’s desperate to find one for the first time in over a month.

So what will Saturday’s contest promise to bring?

For the Revolution, expect them to make a concerted effort to establish their early season identity -- and identity distinguished by short passes, and fundamentally sound soccer. When taking the ball into the attacking third, look for Jerry Bengtson to rummage inside the 18, looking to convert via a loose ball or poor clearance.

For the Crew, the attack may be coming to life at just the right time. And in light of that, the Revolution have to be mindful of where Eddie Gaven is at all times, especially when the Crew counter attack. Another player who’s bolstered their form going forward is recently-signed designated player Federico Higuain, who might give the attack the goalscorer it craved earlier this season.

Yes, the playoffs may not be reality for the Revolution this season. And yes, the idea of playing for pride with the autumn months approaching isn’t what Heaps had in mind when he took the job last winter.

But that shouldn’t prevent them from striving for the strong finish. And that finish begins Saturday in Columbus, where the Revolution hope to put an end to their seven-game slide.

With the second half of their road trip on tap, the Revolution (6-13-5, 23 points) head to Columbus to take on the Crew (9-8-6, 33 points) at Crew Stadium on Saturday.

The game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET and will be telecast on Comcast Sports Net New England. Listeners can catch a radio broadcast on The Sports Hub 98.5.

On June 16, the Crew and Revolution played to a scoreless draw at Gillette Stadium. It marked the first time this season the Revolution were shut out at home.

REVS NOTES:
• Saturday's trip to Crew Stadium is the Revolution's only trip to the Buckeye State this season. The Crew and Revolution will conclude their three-game series on Sept. 5 at Gillette Stadium.

• Midfielder Benny Feilhaber is the only player on the Revolution roster to score against the Crew. On Aug. 16, 2011, the center half scored in the 45th minute courtesy of a feed from former Revolution midfielder Pat Phelan.

• Although the Revolution are aiming to snap their nine-game MLS road winless streak Saturday, the odds certainly aren't in their favor. The Revolution have won just three of their past 10 in Columbus (3-4-3), and haven't claimed a road victory against the Crew since their season-ending 2-1 win on Oct. 25, 2009.

• The Revolution's seven-game overall winless streak (0-6-1) is their longest since they abandoned the win column for seven straight (0-2-5) from July 23 through Sept. 7, 2011.

• One player on the Crew roster with local ties is defender Julius James. The fifth-year veteran played his college ball at the University of Connecticut in 2004-07 and was named Big East Defensive Player of the Year for three consecutive years (2005-07).

INJURY REPORTS (as of Aug. 21)
COLUMBUS CREW -- OUT: FW Tommy Heinemann (L knee surgery); GK William Hesmer (R hip surgery); MF Bernardo Anor (L knee ACL tear); DOUBTFUL: DF Rich Balchan (sports hernia rehab); QUESTIONABLE: MF Danny O'Rourke (L ankle sprain); MF Milovan Mirosevic (R ankle inflammation)

NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION -- OUT: MF Sainey Nyassi (R adductor strain); GK Bobby Shuttleworth (L knee sprain); DOUBTFUL: MF Blair Gavin (L hamstring tightness); FW Alec Purdie (L ankle sprain); QUESTIONABLE: MF Lee Nguyen (L ankle sprain)

It may have been exciting to watch, but the first 25 minutes of Saturday’s Fire-Revolution game was a defender’s nightmare.

Within a 20-minute span, Chris Rolfe (5’), Fernando Cardenas (11’) and Sherjill MacDonald (25’) all scored before the dust finally settled, with the Fire claiming a 2-1 win over the Revolution.

So much for digging in and making an early defensive stand.

“It’s always tough when it goes back and forth like that,” Revolution center back Stephen McCarthy said after the game. “You’re really happy when you score and it comes back, (but when) you get scored on like that, it’s real tough mentally.”

Then again, no one said it would be easy. For a team that hadn’t won at Toyota Park since its opening season (2006), the Revolution had to expect a considerable challenge going into Saturday’s game.

Not only were they playing on the road -- where they’ve only collected a single win so far this season -- but the Revolution had to contend with a resurgent Chicago squad with playoff ambitions.

Yet even after the Fire put the Revolution in a familiar spot -- down a goal -- the guests didn’t fold. Rather than crying about their latest misfortunes, they carried on and continued to press the issue.

“I think it’s one of those times where you say, ‘You know what, we (have) to get on with it,’” Revolution midfielder Ryan Guy said. “These things are happening to us (so) instead of getting down on ourselves, it’s more like, ‘You know what, let’s test ourselves here and come back and really show something of ourselves.’”

While the Revolution may have adopted the right attitude, they struggled to parlay it into tangible results. In fact, the bulk of the chances after MacDonald’s strike fell in the favor of the Fire.

In the 42nd minute, the hosts played keep-away inside the final third for an extended spell before Chris Tierney cleared out of danger. But the pressure continued on the subsequent corner kick, which gave MacDonald an opportunity to score before his header went wide of the near post.

The Fire kept the heat on the Revolution defense in the second half. In the 80th minute, Arne Friedrich tore through the backline and fired a shot that Matt Reis had to swat away.

Deep into stoppage time, Dominic Oduro fought the ball away from McCarthy before racing toward Reis. But Guy arrived late to provide some interference before the shot went wide of the frame.

“I think we got stretched a couple times,” Guy said. “They got a couple counterattacks, but that’s always going to happen when you’re trying to win, when you’re trying to push forward.”

Although the loss may have pushed the Revolution’s winless streak to seven, McCarthy advised that no one’s ready to throw in the towel, even with the playoffs out of sight.

“We aren’t going to give up,” McCarthy said. “I know that much. We have 10 more games. We have to give everything we have.”

The Revolution recovered from surrendering a 5th-minute penalty kick goal with Fernando Cardenas' 11th-minute strike, but were eventually overpowered by the Chicago Fire, falling 2-1 at Toyota Park on Saturday night.

The Fire -- who would outshoot the Revs 22 to 7 -- opened the scoring with Chris Rolfe's 5th-minute penalty, after Rolfe was taken down by AJ Soares in the box. Six minutes later, New England responded through Cardenas' tap-in after the Fire defense failed to clear a cross from Saer Sene on the left flank.

The Revolution's time on equal terms was short-lived as Dutch striker Sherjill MacDonald, who joined the Fire as a Designated Player early last month, scored the game winner with his first MLS goal in the 25th minute. Goalkeeper Matt Reis prevented the deficit from getting worse with four key saves, but the Revolution never looked like they were recovering.

The loss dropped the Revolution to 6-13-5 (23 points), keeping them tied with Philadelphia for eighth in the Eastern Conference. The Fire improved to 12-7-5 (41 points), jumping into third place in the East and solidifying their playoff hopes.

Scoreless streak ends: Cardenas' 11th-minute goal wasn't pretty, but it was the first Revolution goal since the 12th minute of a 2-1 loss to Philadelphia on July 29 -- a scoreless streak of 269 minutes.

Losing run continues: With the loss, the Revolution have fallen in four straight games and are now winless in seven straight (0-6-1), extending their longest winless streak of the season. The Revolution have just three goals in the past seven matches. The Revolution are also winless at Toyota Park (0-6-1), having played seven games at the stadium since it opened in 2006.

Fouls reversed: In the team's six-game string of poor form leading up to the match, the Revs had been outfouled by an average of 13.3 to 8.3 -- a frequent talking point for head coach Jay Heaps. On Saturday, the Revolution defense struggled with the Fire's speedy attack and outfouled their opponents 11 to 8.

Benny benched: The Revolution's highest-paid player, Benny Feilhaber, found himself on the bench to start the match for the first time since April 28, when he was recovering from a left peroneal strain. Feilhaber, who had been substituted out of each of the Revolution's past two games in the second half, entered against the Fire at halftime for Lee Nguyen. Feilhaber has a goal and an assist in 20 games this season.

Blake's back: After not appearing for the Revolution since July 21 and not starting since July 14, second-year striker Blake Brettschneider was back as a starting striker Saturday night. He recorded no shots before being substituted out for Designated Player Jerry Bengtson in the 57th minute.

Next up: The Revolution remain on the road with a trip to face the Columbus Crew for the second time this season on Aug. 25. The game is set to kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET. On June 16, the Revolution played to a scoreless draw with the Crew at Gillette Stadium.

The Revolution (6-12-5, 23 points) will have to overcome their season-long road woes on Saturday against the Chicago Fire (11-7-5, 38 points) in order to snap a six-game winless streak.

So far this season, New England has claimed only a single victory (3-1 on March 31 at Los Angeles) in its 11 games (1-8-2) outside the friendly confines of Gillette Stadium, and are 0-6-2 in their last eight road contests. The Revs hope to end that run of road futility at Toyota Park.

That’s the hope, at least. Not only are the Revolution coming into a stadium they haven’t won in over six years, but they’re facing a team that hasn’t lost in nearly a month. Since their 1-0 loss to the Red Bulls, the Fire have put together a three-game unbeaten streak, and last week put a three-spot on Philadelphia thanks in large part to Chris Rolfe, who scored a pair of goals in the effort. The return of Rolfe, who starred for the Fire from 2005 to 2009, has steered the Fire back on track after a string of uninspiring performances earlier this season.

On the other side of the pitch, the Revolution are anxious to put an end to another embarrassing streak -- a 257-minute goal drought. And it’s precisely that lack of attacking prowess that’s kept them outside of the win column since early July. During their current six-game slide, the Revolution have scored only two goals, even after creating a number of chances to grab more. But chances are no longer good enough, especially for a club that continues to push the issue inside the final third with little success.

Yes, there may be more at stake for the Fire, who are currently in the midst of a playoff push. But this is a critical match for the Revs, too. So what will the guests have to do to break the hex?

1. Keep attacking. It’s been a frustrating run of futility, no doubt. But it does the Revs no good to sulk and rue their chances. Instead, the Revolution must continue to push forward. They cannot look back and ponder the missed opportunities. Instead, they have to attack as if every chance can find the back of the net.

2. Set the tempo. No doubt the road’s been unkind so far this season, but the Revolution have to forget that fact and play with the same confidence seen at home. More specifically, they have to establish their identity early. To do so, they’ll have to be smart with their passes, but they’ll also have to take a few risks. They have to be willing to send numbers forward at the risk of a counterattack. They have to press the Fire defenders.

3. Eliminate the egregious error. The big mistake has been the official downfall of the Revolution for the past five weeks. And against the Fire -- a team that’s shown themselves quite capable of pouncing on mistakes -- the Revolution simply cannot afford the same gaffes seen in recent weeks. There’s no room for poor cover and the casual defending, especially against a side as speedy as the Fire. The margin against a team that thrives in transition is minute this week.

If accountability is the name of the game under head coach Jay Heaps, then everyone penciled into the Revolution starting XI will be on a short leash. Mistakes must be eliminated. Chances must be cashed in. And maximum points must be earned if the Revolution are serious about salvaging the rest of their season.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Chris Tierney wouldn’t name names, but it was clear that he wasn’t pleased with some of his teammates on Sunday.

Following the Revolution’s 1-0 loss to Montreal -- a loss that pushed New England’s winless streak to six -- the veteran midfielder questioned the effort -- or lack thereof -- on display in front of the Foxboro faithful.

“I think unless all of us are 110 percent committed, we’re not going to win,” Tierney said following Sunday’s game. “So I don’t know if enough of that fight was there for us.”

Granted, the Revolution created chances and certainly gave it a go on the attacking front. In the 36th minute, Tierney sent a pass through the area that nearly caught Jerry Bengtson's right foot before it kissed the far post. Close, but not close enough.

Even though New England’s attack kept the Impact defense on its heels, only to watch a pair of dangerous shots hit the frame, Tierney said that the current rough patch isn’t simply attributable to bad bounces or suspect officiating.

“Guys have been comfortable in playing, expecting their spots,” Tierney said. “At this level you have to earn it and now it’s become clear. I think there are a lot of guys who are good players and can contribute and at least give 110 percent.”

What that means for Saturday’s contest in Columbus -- or more accurately, Saturday’s starting XI -- remains to be seen. But midfielder Ryan Guy also believes that the bulk of the team’s problems are self-inflicted.

“We’re definitely not playing to our potential,” Guy said after Sunday’s game. “As much I think we could have and should have put the game away from the run of play and (by) scoring goals, I think we do need something extra, a little bit of spark to push us over the edge.”

And with a two-game road trip on tap, finding that “something extra” won’t be easy to find -- especially against Chicago and Columbus, two clubs that are currently in the thick of the postseason hunt.

But Tierney is hopeful the team can turn it around. Yes, they’ve been snakebitten on some of their shots. And yes, maybe the officiating hasn’t been at its best in recent weeks.

On Sunday, a ball from Guy hit the arm of Impact defender Jeb Brovsky inside the area, but referee Allen Chapman didn’t call it. Yes, a penalty would have given the Revolution a gift-wrapped chance to level it in the final 15 minutes. And instead of another loss, the Revolution could’ve drawn something positive from the result.

However, when it’s all said and done, the Revolution simply need to be better at what they can control. They can be better at a number of things -- especially going forward. But, on the whole, Tierney advised that it’s take a whole lot more than what the team has shown since their six-game skid began back on Jul. 14.

“It’s just about putting the ball on the money and committing to getting runs in the box and we haven’t been doing that lately,” Tierney said. “We just have to have that full commitment to lay our bodies on the line, make those runs, and do what it takes to score goals.”

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Missed opportunities: It’s become the storyline of the Revolution’s six-game winless streak.

On Sunday, the Revolution were afforded plenty of prospects to capitalize on against the Impact, but could only watch them evaporate time after time in their 1-0 loss.

“We had our chances,” Revolution coach Jay Heaps said. “(We) hit the crossbar, hit the post, no penalty call on the handball which was clear as day. Unfortunately, we’re talking about a disappointing loss.”

While the Revolution were victimized by yet another crucial error -- see Sanna Nyassi’s 61st-minute goal -- the fact is they couldn’t climb out of the deficit, or put Montreal into one, because of their inability to finish their chances. Again.

In the seventh minute, Benny Feilhaber fought through two strong challenges to feed the ball ahead to Saer Sene, who had a clear look at goal. But the striker’s shot sailed wide of the far post.

Another opportunity appeared at the half-hour mark. With the Impact defense drawing him inside, Lee Nguyen went with the flow and blasted a shot that missed its mark by inches.

Then, in the 36th minute, it looked like the Revolution would finally get on the board for the first time since the 12th minute of their July 29 loss to the Union. Chris Tierney took the ball toward the area and pushed a pass that missed a teammate, but looked like it might sneak through before it banked off the far post.

“I thought we started the game pretty well and created enough chances to score a goal,” Tierney said. “(But) we couldn’t get that bounce in the moment.”

Indeed, the ball certainly wasn’t cooperating for Tierney and his teammates. And Sene would prove that only five minutes later.

With Nguyen pressing ahead, Sene made a run toward the far post, where he picked up the pass from the shifty midfielder. But, once again, the ball was denied by the woodwork, as another opportunity faded into the night.

“I think we’re getting into decent spots,” Tierney said. “We have good spells of possession, but when we get into that advanced third of the field it’s just about putting the ball on the money.”

Montreal, for its part, had no problem putting the ball on the money when it mattered the most.

Off a Revolution turnover, Nyassi raced 60 yards unobstructed into the attacking third, beat A.J. Soares and blasted a shot that bulged the back of the net just after the hour mark.

“It was incredible,” Impact defender Hassoun Camara said. “It was one of the best goals of the year, and I hope he has goal of the week because he deserves it.”

Even after Nyassi’s goal, the Revolution continued to find opportunities after falling into a deficit. On a corner from Nguyen, Kelyn Rowe did well to redirect it on frame, but Troy Perkins easily corralled it.

“Give (Perkins) some credit,” Revolution midfielder Clyde Simms said. “He made some big saves tonight. He had a very good game tonight for them.”

While Perkins was doing all the right things, it also took a bit of bad luck to keep the Revolution from finding the equalizer.

In the 74th minute, Ryan Guy advanced and hit a shot that caught the arm of Jeb Brovsky inside the area. But despite the pleas for a handball, which would have given the Revolution a golden opportunity to equalize from the spot, referee Allen Chapman didn’t see it that way.

“I hate to lay it on calls,” Guy said. “But things that really changed the game affect us as players. You start to think the world’s against you, even though you know it’s not true.”

When all was said and done, the Revolution were doomed to rue their squandered chances. And even though there were more opportunities to be had this week, Simms admits that he doesn’t know what it’s going to take to break through.

“I wish I could tell you the answer to that,” Simms said. “If we did have the answer, it wouldn’t be a problem for us. We have to do better though. I think we did do a better job at creating chances tonight, which we struggled with last game or two. The difference is just putting those away.”