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Dube, Revolution rattle Earthquakes

Mar 22, 2009 - 5:19 AM SAN JOSE, California (AP) -- Kheli Dube scored in the 55th minute to give the depleted New England Revolution a 1-0 win over the San Jose Earthquakes in the MLS season opener for both teams Saturday night.

New England, missing four starters due to injury and another because of a league suspension, eked out its first victory in San Jose since 2000 despite being outshot 16-7.

The Earthquakes dominated play for much of the final hour but never could break through against New England goalkeeper Matt Reis, who made four saves to preserve the shutout.

Dube's goal sprang from a quick counterattack. San Jose defender Kelly Gray tried to clear a lead pass from Jeff Larentowicz, but the ball instead skimmed off his head and landed at the feet of Dube, who blasted it past defenseless goalkeeper Joe Cannon.

The Earthquakes, coming off an expansion season in which they scored a league-low 32 goals, were hoping the addition of U.S. national team player Bobby Convey and a full season from Darren Huckerby, their leading scorer in 2008, would help add punch to their lineup.

They had more chances Saturday, especially in the final 20 minutes of the first half, but still generated no goals.

San Jose could have taken the lead in the 30th minute when Reis blocked a low 22-yard shot from Alvarez and left a wide-open rebound for new Earthquakes forward Cam Weaver from 10 yards away. But Weaver, making his MLS debut after spending two years playing in Norway, pushed his shot high, and the ball deflected off the crossbar and bounced away from the goalmouth.

The Earthquakes had some near misses in the second half, including a volley just wide by rookie Quincy Amarikwa in the 71st minute and a header by Pablo Campos that skirted the post in the 86th minute, but did not test Reis down the stretch.

New England's defense held firm despite the absence of defender Chris Albright, who was serving a one-game suspension for getting two yellow cards in the Revolution's first-round playoff loss last year.