FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Forget about the midfield. Maybe Steve Ralston's next career move will see him play striker after his late goal earned the New England Revolution a 1-1 draw with the New York Red Bulls on Wednesday night at Gillette Stadium.
Seth Stammler volleyed home a Dave van den Bergh cross after 37 minutes to put the Red Bulls ahead. New York held the lead late into the second half until Ralston, deployed up front after Adam Cristman went off injured with 20 minutes to play, slotted home a Kheli Dube knockdown 11 minutes before the final whistle to earn the Revolution a share of the points.
The point extended New England's league-best unbeaten streak to seven games (5-0-2).
Revolution midfielder Shalrie Joseph returned from national team duty with Grenada to claim a place in the starting XI. Pat Phelan dropped to the bench in the side's only change from last Thursday's 2-0 victory in Houston.
New York made five changes from the team that lost 4-1 in D.C. last Saturday. Out went Danleigh Borman, Chris Leitch, Jeff Parke, Luke Sassano and John Wolyniec. In came Hunter Freeman, Carlos Mendes, Mike Magee, Sinisa Ubiparipovic and Oscar Echeverry. Juan Carlos Osorio deployed Mendes at the base of a midfield diamond in an attempt to mark Revolution playmaker Steve Ralston.
Ubiparipovic nearly gave his side the lead inside six minutes after firing home a cross from the right wing, but the assistant referee's flag waved off the effort.
Red Bulls 'keeper Jon Conway palmed away Jeff Larentowicz's shot over the bar soon afterwards as the Revs tried to translate their possession into a tangible advantage.
But the visitors plugged away and started to press forward as the Red Bulls defense dealt comfortably with the Revolution attack.
New York found the opening goal in the 37th minute with Stammler's sublime piece of finishing, but the manner of the goal left the Revolution bench fuming as Mauricio Castro lay prone in his offensive half after contorting his body while attempting to strike the ball and suffering a right oblique strain in the process.
Jon Conway eventually collected the ball and started the counterattack, freeing van den Bergh down the left wing. The Dutchman's cross found the plot of grass left unoccupied by Castro and Stammler's volley snuck past Matt Reis at the near post.
Echeverry should have doubled the advantage a minute before the break after Dane Richards' mazy run sliced open the Revolution defense, but the Colombian striker dragged his effort wide.
Cristman slammed the first chance of the second half, direct from a friendly bounce off a Jay Heaps throw-in, off Conway's chest when a slotted ball either side would have found goal.
The teams then exchanged a series of half-chances as the game lost much of its flow. A van den Bergh free kick nearly snuck in at the far post but Reis had it covered. Then Dube flashed a shot just wide of Conway's far post. Mike Magee saw his free kick deflected just over Reis' net.
Out of nothing, New England found its equalizer. Dube cushioned Jay Heaps' diagonal ball from the right side down into Ralston's path. The midfielder, shunted up front after Cristman went off injured, took a touch, saw no pressure coming seven yards from goal and slotted home to the far post past the hopeless Conway.
With the equalizer in hand, the Revolution pressed forward for the winner and nearly found it two minutes before time. Nyassi's cross from the right side found Ralston's diving header. Conway's outstretched left hand parried the ball away to Dube, who saw his shot saved by Conway's right palm. The double save ensured the Red Bulls would return to the Meadowlands with their fifth away point of the season (1-3-2).
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