FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – After weathering a proverbial storm over the first three matches of the season, the New England Revolution seemed right at home in windy, snowy conditions on Saturday afternoon.
Led by a pair of first-half goals from Kelyn Rowe, the Revs (1-2-1) captured their first win of the season with a 2-1 triumph over the San Jose Earthquakes at Gillette Stadium.
Chris Wondolowski scored his third goal of the season on a second-half penalty kick for the Earthquakes (2-2), who saw their two-game winning streak snapped.
The Quakes were also the team that New England beat for their first win last year – and that, too, came in the fourth match of the season. And, as it was a year ago, the Revolution’s first goal of the season was last touched by a San Jose defender before going in.
Last season it was Victor Bernardez with an own goal that boosted New England to their first win. This year it was Shaun Francis, who initially was pickpocketed by Daigo Kobayashi as he attempted to dribble up through the middle third of the pitch.
Kobayashi pushed the ball up the right side to Lee Nguyen who passed back to Rowe at the top of the box for a solid blast that found the face of Francis and redirected into the back of the net.
Rowe almost had his second of the game in the 35th minute, bodying a Chris Tierney cross on the far post, only to have David Bingham make a diving save on the line.
Just two minutes later, Rowe made sure to bury his next opportunity, again starting with Tierney, this time off of a free kick from the left side which a diving Darrius Barnes got a head on.
Stationed at the near post, Rowe was there to slot home the rebound opportunity.
San Jose head coach Dominic Kinnear was quick to go to his bench, making two subs at the start of the second half, bringing on Shea Salinas and Adam Jahn for Sanna Nyassi and J.J. Koval, respectively.
Less than ten minutes into the half, Quakes defender Marvell Wynne left the pitch with what looked to be a hamstring issue, forcing Kinnear to use his final substitution in the 55th minute, bringing on Cordell Cato.
The Quakes were able to control a bit more in the final third and around the box, leading to a penalty kick when
Scott Caldwell
fouled
Clarence Goodson
just inside the 18.
Wondolowski buried the ensuing penalty kick in the 62nd minute, but San Jose was unable to mount many more dangerous opportunities.
They would get some last-ditch efforts to level, starting with a Wondolowski blast from range in stoppage time and a follow-up corner that created danger but was pushed aside.
The Revolution take to the road next week, facing Colorado on Saturday. The Earthquakes return to Avaya Stadium next Sunday when they will face Western Conference foe Real Salt Lake.
