MONTREAL, Quebec – MLS MVP candidate Lee Nguyen scored his 15th goal of the season to help the New England Revolution earn a 2-2 draw with the Montreal Impact at Stade Saputo. Nguyen’s goal in the 69th minute helped the Revolution (15-13-4, 49 pts.) get the point they needed to clinch a spot in the 2014 MLS Cup Playoffs.

A Marco Di Vaio goal gave the Impact (6-18-8, 26 pts.) a 1-0 lead in the 12th minute, but the Revs would answer just four minutes later through Kelyn Rowe. A one-two at the top of the box between Rowe and Charlie Davies allowed the third-year midfielder to get in behind the Montreal defense before slotting his shot past Evan Bush, tying the score at 1-1.

However, the home side would strike back just before the halftime break as Di Vaio, the leading scorer in Impact history, scored his second of the game to give his side a 2-1 halftime lead.

The Revs would strike back to earn a share of the points midway through the second half when Nguyen hit a deflected shot past Bush from the edge of the area. The goal sequence began when Scott Caldwell, who had come on as a substitute just 13 minutes earlier, broke up a play in the final third. Caldwell dribbled at the Montreal defense before laying off the ball to Nguyen with the outside of his foot. Nguyen’s right footed shot struck the boot of Montreal midfielder Calum Mallace and looped over Bush and into the net, tying the score at 2-2 and sending the Revs back to the MLS Cup Playoffs.

Key Plays

• 12’ – MTL GOAL: Calum Mallace has time in the midfield and plays a ball over the top for Marco Di Vaio who slams his first-time attempt past Bobby Shuttleworth | WATCH THE PLAY
• 16’ – NE GOAL: Intricate play on the edge of the area between Lee Nguyen, Kelyn Rowe and Charlie Davies sees Rowe break through and finish after a one-two with Davies | WATCH THE PLAY
• 25’ – NE’s Jermaine Jones surges past his midfield marker and lets fly, but his shot is held by Evan Bush | WATCH THE PLAY
• 27’ – MTL’s Marco Di Vaio almost gets on the end of a loose ball in the New England area, but Bobby Shuttleworth rushes off his line to snuff out the chance | WATCH THE PLAY
• 40’ – MTL GOAL: Andres Romero curls a pass around Jose Goncalves toward Marco Di Vaio who lets the ball bounce across his body before wrong-footing Bobby Shuttleworth with his finish | WATCH THE PLAY
• 45’ – NE’s A.J. Soares wins the ball in midfield and fires from 35 yards out, but his shot flies over the bar | WATCH THE PLAY
• 47+ - MTL’s Hassoun Camara strides forward and plays in Dilly Duka, whose curling shot misses just wide of Bobby Shuttleworth’s right hand post | WATCH THE PLAY

HALFTIME SCORE: Montreal Impact 2, New England Revolution 1

• 47’ – YELLOW CARD: NE’s Jermaine Jones shown a yellow card for a foul on Felipe Martins | WATCH THE PLAY
• 52’ – MTL’s Justin Mapp runs onto a through ball from Andres Romero and finds himself one-on-one with Bobby Shuttleworth, but the New England goalkeeper makes the save with his feet | WATCH THE PLAY
• 59’ – The ball falls to MTL’s Felipe Martins on the edge of the area, but he slices his attempt high over the bar | WATCH THE PLAY
• 69’ – NE GOAL: Scott Caldwell intercepts the ball and drives past his man before laying the ball off to Lee Nguyen whose effort from the edge of the area takes a deflection off Calum Mallace and loops over Evan Bush | WATCH THE PLAY
• 80’ – MTL’s Andres Romero dribbles forward and shoots on frame, but his effort is straight at Bobby Shuttleworth who holds | WATCH THE PLAY

FINAL SCORE: New England Revolution 2, Montreal Impact 2
Santander Man of the Match

LEE NGUYEN – Scored his team-best 15th goal of the season in the second half, earning the Revs a share of the points and helping the club clinch a second consecutive postseason berth.

Next Game

The Revolution are back in action on Thursday, October 16 when they travel to Texas to face the Houston Dynamo at BBVA Compass Stadium. That game, which will be broadcast live nationally on ESPN2 is scheduled to kick off at 8 p.m. ET. | TV: ESPN2

New England Revolution at Montreal Impact
October 11, 2014 – Stade Saputo (Montreal, Quebec)
New England Revolution 2, Montreal Impact 2

Scoring Summary:
MTL – Marco Di Vaio 7 (Calum Mallace 3) 12’
NE – Kelyn Rowe 5 (Charlie Davies 4) 16’
MTL – Marco Di Vaio (Andres Romero 2) 39’
NE – Lee Nguyen 15 (Scott Caldwell 2) 69’

Misconduct Summary:

NE – Jermaine Jones (Yellow Card) 47’

New England Revolution: Bobby Shuttleworth; Kevin Alston, Jose Goncalves ©, A.J. Soares, Chris Tierney; Daigo Kobayashi (Scott Caldwell 56’), Jermaine Jones; Teal Bunbury (Diego Fagundez 61’), Lee Nguyen, Kelyn Rowe; Charlie Davies (Patrick Mullins 79’).

Substitutes Not Used: Brad Knighton, Darrius Barnes, Steve Neumann, Tony Taylor

STATS: Shots 6, Shots on target 3, Saves 2, Corner kicks 2, Offsides 0, Fouls 9, Possession 50.3%, Passes 502 (82.1%)

Montreal Impact: Evan Bush; Hassoun Camara, Matteo Ferrari, Heath Pearce, Krzystof Krol; Calum Mallace, Felipe Martins (Patrice Bernier 77’); Justin Mapp (Maxim Tissot 65’), Dilly Duka (Jack McInerney 72’), Andres Romero; Marco Di Vaio ©.

Substitutes Not Used: Maxime Crepeau, Mamadou Danso, Wandrille Lefevre, Gorka Larrea

STATS: Shots 11, Shots on target 4, Saves 1, Corner kicks 5, Offsides 6, Fouls 11, Possession 49.7%, Passes 482 (80.5%)

Referee: Armando Villarreal

Assistant Referees: Joe Fletcher (AR1) and Richard Gamache (AR2)

Fourth Official: Mathieu Bourdeau

Weather: Clear and 50 degrees

Attendance: 14,389

Team Records:

Montreal Impact: 6-18-8, 26 pts.

New England Revolution: 15-13-4, 49 pts.

Additional Game Notes

• With the draw, the Revs are now 15-13-4 on the season for 49 points … they are tied with Sporting Kansas City for second place in the Eastern Conference, but own the tiebreaker on SKC as a result of having more wins on the season.
• The result clinches a postseason berth for the Revs … this is their second consecutive playoff berth and 12th all-time.
• New England is now three points behind D.C. United for first place in the East … United play away to the Houston Dynamo on Sunday afternoon.
• New England now have four ties on the season, fewer than all but one team in MLS … this was the club’s first draw since a 1-1 tie with Portland at home on August 16 … it was their first road draw since a 1-1 draw at Chicago on April 19.
• This was the first-ever tie between the Revolution and Impact … the Revs are now 3-4-1 all-time against Montreal and 2-2-1 at Stade Saputo.
• The Revs finished the season series with a 1-1-1 record against Montreal.
• Revolution head coach Jay Heaps coached his 100th game for the club … he is now 38-41-21 since being named head coach ahead of the start of the 2012 MLS season.
• He is the third head coach in MLS history to coach and play 100 or more games for the same club.
• Heaps made two changes to the squad that beat the Columbus Crew 2-1 at Gillette Stadium last weekend … Kevin Alston and Daigo Kobayashi each returned to the starting lineup, replacing Andrew Farrell and Scott Caldwell.
• Caldwell began the game on the bench while Farrell was rested after playing the full 90 minutes in each of the Revs’ last 30 regular-season games … this was the first time that Farrell had not been in the starting lineup since the season opening defeat to Houston on March 8.
• The Revs were without Shalrie Joseph (left groin strain), Stephen McCarthy (left meniscus surgery) and Luis Soffner (right ankle sprain) because of injury.
• The Impact took a 1-0 lead in the 12th minute through Marci Di Vaio …that was his seventh goal of the season.
• Calum Mallace was credited with the lone assist on the goal, giving him a goal and an assist in two games against the Revs this season.
• New England trailed 1-0 in all three games that they played against Montreal this season.
• Kelyn Rowe equalized for the Revs just four minutes later with his fifth goal of the season … that was his second goal in as many games against the Impact, having scored the game-tying goal at Gillette Stadium on September 13.
• Rowe is now tied with Diego Fagundez for second on the team with five goals … all five of his goals have come in the last 12 games, dating back to July 30.
• He is now two goals shy of his career-best of seven that he set in 2013.
• Charlie Davies was credited with the lone assist on Rowe’s goal, giving him four on the season …Davies had just one assist in his only previous full season in MLS; in 2011 with D.C. United.
• Di Vaio restored Montreal’s lead in the 39th minute with his eighth goal of the season, finishing a pass from Andres Romero … that was his fourth goal in seven all-time games against the Revolution.
• Di Vaio is the first player to score multiple goals in a game against New England since Robbie Keane and Gyasi Zardes each had two goals in the LA Galaxy’s 5-1 win over the Revs on July 16 … he is the fifth player to have two goals in a game against the Revs this season.
• This was the first time that the Revolution trailed a game going into the half since July 26 against the Columbus Crew.
• Lee Nguyen tied the score for New England in the 69th minute with his team-best 15thgoal of the season
• Nguyen is the seventh player in MLS this season to score 15 or more goals.
• Dating back to July 30, Nguyen has nine goals and four assists in 12 games with the Revs going 8-2-2 in that time.
• New England is now 12-1-2 when Nguyen scores a goal or registers an assist.
• Both Nguyen and Rowe scored the last time these two sides met, a 2-1 Revolution win at Gillette Stadium on September 13 … Nguyen has also scored a goal in four of the five games that Rowe has tallied this year.
• Each now has a club-best three goals against the Impact … no other player has scored more than one for the Revs against Montreal.
• Scott Caldwell was credited with the lone assist on the goal, giving him two on the season … this was his first assist since March 29 in a 2-1 road win over San Jose … that assist also set up a second half goal for Nguyen.
• New England is now 14-0-1 when scoring two or more goals in a game and 1-13-3 when scoring one or less.
• Lee Nguyen suffered two fouls in the game and has now been fouled 71 times this season … this is just the sixth time that a Revolution player has been fouled more than 70 times in a season … he is four fouls shy of breaking Alberto Naveda’s club record for most fouls suffered in a season.
• Daigo Kobayashi started and played the opening 56 minutes in central midfield … he has now appeared in all 32 regular-season games that the Revs have played this year, starting 22.
• Kobayashi, Darrius Barnes, Nguyen and A.J. Soares all entered the game on yellow card warning but were not booked in the game, meaning that none will be forced to miss Thursday’s game in Houston because of yellow card accumulation.