Revs left frustrated

CHESTER, Pa. — As the losses continue to mount for the Revolution, the games remaining this season continue to dwindle. But despite last night’s agonizing 1-0 loss to the Philadelphia Union at Talen Energy Stadium, the Revolution will keep plugging on. What choice do they have?

“We want to treat every game like the Cup finals,” said keeper Matt Turner after the Revs extended their winless string to 0-6-2 stretching back to June 30. “That’s one Cup final lost.

“The games are getting increasingly important going down the stretch, but things are starting to fall solely out of our control. Yet we still need to take care of our own business first before we start looking for help.”

The Revolution actually didn’t do a bad job in that regard in this one, before being victimized by a disputed goal in the 53rd minute on which players on both sides stopped moving believing the play was offside. However, Philly’s Cory Burke, who broke free behind the Revs defense on the controversial play, was able to avoid a sprawling Turner and fire into the yawning net for what proved to be the game-winner.

It’s a result Revs coach Brad Friedel won’t easily live with.

“I’ve got to say I honestly don’t think they deserved to win the game,” said Friedel, forced to play without leading scorer Teal Bunbury, who didn’t make the trip after suffering an undisclosed injury during practice Friday.

“It was a very strange goal. The ref said he didn’t blow his whistle on the play and he was correct. But it’s difficult when the linesman puts his flag up and everyone stops on both teams, except one player.

“To the letter of the law it’s a goal, but it’s a hard one to take.”

That’s how it’s gone for the Revolution (7-10-8), who fall seven points behind the Union (11-11-3) and four behind Montreal (10-14-3), which also lost, in the battle for the final two playoff spots in the East.

“They got a good ball through that we thought was offside,” said defender Andrew Farrell. “Some of the guys stopped running. The ref kind of raised his flag late, so I’m not sure they were on the same page. But you’ve got to play through to the whistle.

“But we were able to create some stuff tonight and had some good chances.”

Indeed, after falling behind the Revs had several opportunities to get the equalizer, only to see Union keeper Andre Blake come up big. He denied Cristian Penilla in the 70th minute when he dove to his left to get a hand on a low shot ticketed for the far corner. Blake was even better on Juan Agudelo’s header in the 79th minute, reaching behind him to deflect it away.

And on the one occasion when Brandon Bye’s header had Blake beaten, in came Union defender Haris Medunjanin to clear it off the line.

“We got ourselves back in game, he outgoalkeeped me today,” said a frustrated Turner, who made two saves to Blake’s four. “It’s frustrating not getting anything out of it, but we’ve been saying that a lot this year.”

The Revolution have only nine more shots at it, beginning when they host Portland on Saturday.

“We have zero margin for error,” conceded Friedel.

Meanwhile, the clock continues to tick down on their dwindling postseason hopes.