FRISCO, Texas — Unfortunately for the New England Revolution, lightning did not strike a second time at Toyota Stadium in the US Open Cup Final.
Unlike the 2007 final, when the Revolution edged FC Dallas by a goal in somewhat surprising fashion to win its first Open Cup in club history, New England had no such luck on Tuesday in the 2016 final.
Even with the Revolution scoring first thanks to a sixth-minute tally by striker Juan Agudelo, FCD, which won the Open Cup for the first time since 1997, overwhelmed New England with four unanswered goals to prevail, 4-2, before a capacity crowd in the 20,500-seat stadium.
Agudelo had put the visitors ahead six minutes in when he slipped a right-footed shot from the middle of the Dallas area just inside the far post on the Revolution’s only shot on goal of the opening half, stunning the partisan crowd. However, FCD would answer three times before halftime to lead, 3-1, after 45 minutes.
Agudelo added a second goal in the 73d minute that brought the Revolution within 4-2, scoring on a tap-in at the near post after a pass from Teal Bunbury deflected off the foot of a Dallas defender.
In the 15th minute, Dallas striker Maxi Urruti buried a shot from the middle of the area after New England defender Je-Vaughn Watson misplayed a ball at the top edge of the Revolution area sent in by Dallas attacking midfielder Mauro Diaz from the right flank. Urruti added a second goal in the 62d minute to make it 4-1.
Watson, who played for FCD between 2013 and 2015 and was listed as questionable with a right groin strain, was making his first appearance in Frisco since being traded to New England in March.
In the 32d minute, Revolution goalkeeper Brad Knighton denied a quality chance by Dallas midfielder Ryan Hollingshead with a kick save, but FCD took its first lead in the 40th minute when captain Matt Hedges headed home a Diaz chip over the Revolution defense to make it 2-1.
Diaz added a goal to his two-assist performance in the first half by converting a penalty kick in stoppage time. The penalty kick was awarded after Hedges had his shirt grabbed during a free kick, leading referee Baldomero Toledo to point to the penalty spot. Diaz stepped to the spot and buried a hard low shot just inside the near post to make it 3-1 at the break.
New England did not register another shot in the first half other than the Agudelo goal. Revolution coach Jay Heaps went to his bench twice before halftime, bringing on Kei Kamara, who had been listed as questionable with a right hip strain, for Gershon Koffie in the 37th minute and Chris Tierney for Watson during stoppage time, but neither change paid dividends.
Tuesday’s match was also a bit of a homecoming for New England defender London Woodberry and midfielder Lee Nguyen, who served as captain on Tuesday. Woodberry, who played for FCD between 2013 and 2014 and Nguyen both grew up in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
The Revolution lost in the Open Cup Final for the second time. In 2001, New England fell, 2-1, to the Los Angeles Galaxy in overtime at Gillette Stadium. Winners of two straight in league play, the Revolution return to MLS action Saturday night at Montreal.