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Joseph scores in Revolution's 1-0 win over Sounders

Aug 21, 2009 - 5:32 AM By MARK MOSCHETTI STATS MLS Correspondent

SEATTLE (STATS) - For Shalrie Joseph, a little contact with the ball went a long way.

Joseph sent a slow rolling shot into the net in the 21st minute, and the New England Revolution hung on for a 1-0 victory against the Seattle Sounders on Thursday night.

The Revolution (7-6-6), trying to get back into the MLS playoff picture, handed the Sounders (8-6-8) their second loss in 12 home games. New England moved within one point of D.C. United for third place in the Eastern Conference.

Joseph took a pass from Edgaras Jankauskas and got into the penalty area behind Seattle's Peter Vagenas. With goalkeeper Kasey Keller coming out to cut down the angle, Joseph fell while shooting. He got just enough of a touch on the ball to push it into a wide-open right corner before defender James Riley could get back to clear it off the line.

"Rollie (teammate Steve Ralston) put a great ball over the top and I tried to hit it on the first time and didn't get as much as I wanted," Joseph said. "Lucky for me, it went in the net."

The sixth goal of the season for Joseph, who missed two MLS games in July and seven games overall last month because of bone bruising in his right knee, helped the Revolution grab three points at one of the league's toughest venues for visitors.

"It's one of the highlights of the season that we picked up three points (at Qwest Field)," Joseph said. "A lot of teams have come in here and haven't done that."

New England's Matt Reis earned his sixth shutout of the season, and he was helped by the crossbar. The Sounders were shut out for the fourth time in five games and remained third in the West, two points behind the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Fredy Montero had a chance to tie the game in the 44th minute after he was taken down just inside the box by Ralston. Montero, tied for second in MLS with 10 goals, took the ensuing penalty kick and lofted it toward the upper right corner. The shot glanced off the underside of the bar.

According to Sounders coach Sigi Schmid, Montero wasn't even supposed to take the kick, although Schmid declined to say who should have been shooting.

"We have a player designated to hit the PK, and he has to step up and take responsibility," Schmid said.

Already without head coach Steve Nicol, who was serving the final game of a two-game suspension, the Revolution lost lead assistant Paul Mariner during first-half stoppage time when he was ejected by referee Baldomero Toledo. Gwynne Williams, the other New England assistant, coached during the second half.

Nicol watched the game from the press box, and was particularly pleased to get the early goal.

"We wanted to start the game by showing them what we were capable of," Nicol said. "It's something that we're continually on the players about - pass the ball and move once you pass. That (goal) was a great example."

Nicol would not comment on Mariner's ejection.

Besides Montero's PK, Seattle had two other near-miss scoring opportunities during the first half. Nate Jaqua's uncontested shot from the front of the 6-yard box went wide left in the 27th minute, and Patrick Ianni's header toward the right post was cleared off the line by Ralston in the 33rd.

"It's like I've always said: As a coach, you're going to be disappointed if you're not creating chances," said Schmid, whose team outshot New England 11-7, but didn't force Reis to make any saves. "Now, it's a matter of the quality of the people in the box. Fredy has 10 goals and should have 14 or 15. Nate has seven and should have 10 or 11.

"All you can do is create opportunities. You can't go in there and will the ball into the goal. The players on the field have to will the ball into the goal."???