This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Foxborough, Mass. • Allowing a goal in the fourth minute wasn't in Real Salt Lake's playbook for Saturday night's MLS match against the New England Revolution.

But that's exactly what happened as the Revolution built a 4-0 halftime lead and maintained it for the rest of the match.

Even though Real Salt Lake (2-7-2, eight points) was missing a plethora of players for various reasons, coach Mike Petke refused to play the excuse game.

"It's obvious that we're missing a lot of players, " said Petke, whose team has lost four straight and played 291 scoreless minutes. "It's not something that has to be pointed out. But having said that, I've said all along we're a team comprised of 20-something professional players. They're all professional athletes.

"In somebody's absence other people have to step up. I was very happy with the work rate tonight. There were a lot of combination plays going forward but we couldn't find the last pass or the effort to put the ball in goal. On the other side, it seemed that every time they came down they either scored or almost scored."

Diego Fagundez used some nifty dribbling to elude defender Reagan Dunk in the left corner and centered the ball to Scott Caldwell, who scored in the fourth minute for what proved to be the game-winning goal — even though 86 minutes remained on the clock.

RSL captain Chris Wingert realized that early goal didn't bode well for the remainder of the match.

"Probably," Wingert said in response to a question. "You try to stay positive and keep pushing. I thought the offense did some good things. They were combining up top and we weren't sharp enough in the back to start the game.

"We gave up a couple early ones and then we're chasing. It's not a recipe for success."

The Revs (3-4-4, 13 points) executed a set play in the 18th minute when Lee Nguyen lofted a corner kick into the box and Kei Kamara snapped a header past Matt Van Oekel.

Fagundez changed roles in the 34th minute when he morphed into a scorer instead of a playmaker.

Kelyn Rowe carried the ball into the box and crossed it to Fagundez, who tapped it inside the left post.

Nguyen added to his points total in the 41st minute when, after Kamara centered the ball, he beat Van Oekel with a shot from inside the box.

"I thought even from the first five minutes our transition was good and then they get one opportunity and it goes in," Petke said. "Then another opportunity goes in.

"The point is we prepared for what happened tonight. Whether they had more quality, which they did, or we let our guard down a little bit, we worked on these scenarios all week." —

Storylines

R Lee Nguyen paces the Revolution with one goal and two assists.

• Real Salt Lake's road record falls to 1-4-1.

• RSL loses defender Demar Phillips late in the first half with a hamstring injury.