Houston Dynamo 2

New England Revolution 1

Khano Smith's frustrating search for a career-defining champion's ring continues after New England Revolution's latest MLS Cup heart-break at the hands of nemesis Houston Dynamo.

It was meant to be the moment Revolution discarded their annoying, but painfully fitting, perennial bridesmaid tag and made history by lifting the elusive Cup for the first time.

But they were sunk by Dynamo for a second successive year through second-half goals from Joseph Ngwenya and Dwayne De Rosario to leave a jaded Steve Nicol bemoaning missed opportunities.

"We were guilty of not taking our chances and that's why we were defeated again," said Nicol who has now lost four MLS Cups with Revs.

"It's real simple for me; if you leave a team hanging around at 1-0 down they will come back to bite you. That's exactly what happened.

"We could have scored three or four goals, but we didn't and that's why we lost."

The Boston-based outfit looked on course to break their 13-year voodoo when star striker Taylor Twellman's bullet header from Steve Ralston's cross gave them the lead on 20 minutes.

With Revs largely dominating the rest of the first half, Bermuda's Smith was seeing plenty of time and space in front of nearly 40,000 fans at Washington's RFK Stadium and millions of ABC and ESPN viewers.

Smith repeatedly turned defence into attack with his trademark blistering bursts down the left wing.

It was from one such slalom-style surge that Revs should have put daylight between themselves and Dynamo with Smith leaving three markers trailing before squaring for Twellman in the box - but his shot was scuffed straight at keeper Pat Onstad.

Pat Noonan nearly stunned Dynamo straight after the break, collecting a through ball and racing into the box but saw his shot well saved by Onstad.

It was Noonan again in the thick of the action when he latched onto MLS original Ralston's pin-point centre to volley agonisingly over the bar from just inside the area.

But the game was turned on its head when the defending champions levelled by capitalising on a piece of woeful defending by Revolution.

A defence lacking in height will always be prone to flutters when bombarded with crosses and the Revs had ample opportunity to clear their lines before Ngwenya pounced on 61 minutes.

The dreadlocked striker was the quickest to react to De Rosario's cross and his mis-kicked first-time shot at Reis fortuitously came back off a defender for Ngwenya to fire home. Just moments later Smith was at the centre of controversy when his frustrations boiled over after Craig Waibel sent the winger tumbling to the ground in a meaty challenge.

Smith protested vehemently before attempting what appeared to be a rash headbutt to floor the veteran full-back right under referee Prus' nose. With the Dynamo faithful baying for a red card, Smith quickly deserted the scene of his crime and was fortunate to receive only a yellow card.

By now the pendulum was slowly swinging in Dynamo's favour and on 74 minutes Brad Davis' angled cross was superbly headed home by the inventive De Rosario to give his side the lead.

But the chances kept coming Revolution's way and in the last few minutes it seemed as though the game would be sent into extra time in a repeat of last year's final, when Jeff Larentowicz powered in a close range header from a corner. Somehow the impressive Onstad pulled off an remarkable point-blank save to preserve their slender advantage.

It was the last meaningful attack before the final whistle which signalled Rev's third straight MLS Cup defeat and a second for Smith who dropped to the floor as Dynamo's fans burst into celebration with flags and flares.