The New England Revolution, depleted by injuries and suspensions, was eliminated from the MLS Cup Playoffs with a 3-0 loss to the Chicago Fire in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Semifinal Series on Thursday night at Toyota Park. The Fire advances to the Eastern Conference Championship and will face either the Columbus Crew or Kansas City Wizards next weekend, while the Revolution’s season comes to an end.

It marks the first time in seven years that the Revolution has not reached the Eastern Conference Championship, as the club played in a record six consecutive conference finals from 2002-07. The loss also broke a stretch of three straight years in which the Revs eliminated the Fire from the playoffs (2005-07).

Goals from forward Chris Rolfe and defenders Wilman Conde and Gonzalo Segares were enough to see the Fire through after the clubs drew, 0-0, in Game One of the series at Gillette Stadium last week.

Chicago came dangerously close to taking an early lead in just the fourth minute, but Revs defender Michael Parkhurst cleared Rolfe’s driven volley off the line after the shot had cleanly beaten goalkeeper Matt Reis.

The Revolution had a quality scoring chance of its own in the ninth minute when forward Kheli Dube was fouled by Segares 25 yards from goal, but Jeff Larentowicz’s free kick effort was blasted straight into the wall.

The game quieted down considerably following the early flurry, with each team pressing forward on occasion but neither seriously threatening until the closing stages of the first half.

New England was forced to make a change in the 39th minute when a late John Thorrington tackle forced Larentowicz out of the game with a right ankle injury. Rookie Pat Phelan replaced Larentowicz in the center of midfield to mark his postseason debut.

With the match on the verge of entering the halftime break locked in a scoreless draw, Rolfe pounced on a rebound in the second minute of stoppage time to put Chicago in front. Cuauhtemoc Blanco’s curling, long-range shot from just outside the box was pawed away excellently by Reis, but the rebound fell kindly to Rolfe, who tapped the ball into the empty net from six yards out.

The hosts extended their lead to 2-0 just four minutes in the second half. A free kick from the left wing was whipped into the box by Justin Mapp, and Conde slipped past Phelan and buried a header inside the near post from close range.

Trailing by two and running out of time, the Revs began pressing for goals and almost got one in the 58th minute. A clever pass from Sainey Nyassi set countryman Kenny Mansally up at the top of the box, but the teenage Gambian’s left-footed shot was barely tipped around the post by the fingertips of Fire goalkeeper Jon Busch.

Chicago put the game out of reach in the 74th minute with its third goal. Rolfe dribbled his way to the endline down the right wing before sending a parallel pass across the face of goal which Segares finished from close range.

The Revs were reduced to 10 men in the 83rd minute when Chris Albright was shown his second yellow card, while Shalrie Joseph’s goal-bound header in the 85th minute was nullified because the Grenadian was ruled offside.

2008 MLS Cup Playoffs
Eastern Conference Semifinal Series – Game Two
New England Revolution at Chicago Fire
November 6, 2008 – Bridgeview, Ill. (Toyota Park)

Scoring Summary:

CHI – Chris Rolfe (unassisted) 47+
CHI – Wilman Conde (Justin Mapp) 49
CHI – Gonzalo Segares (Chris Rolfe) 74

New England Revolution: Matt Reis (GK), Amaechi Igwe (Gabriel Badilla 73), Michael Parkhurst, Jay Heaps, Chris Albright, Mauricio Castro, Shalrie Joseph ©, Jeff Larentowicz (Pat Phelan 39), Sainey Nyassi, Kheli Dube (Wells Thompson 81), Kenny Mansally

Substitutes Not Used: Brad Knighton (GK), Joe Germanese, Gary Flood, Rob Valentino

STATS: Shots 8; Shots on Goal 4; Saves 3; Corner Kicks 4; Offside 1; Fouls Committed 13

Chicago Fire: Jon Busch (GK), Gonzalo Segares, Wilman Conde, Bakary Soumare, Brandon Prideaux, Justin Mapp (Daniel Wollard 77), John Thorrington, Logan Pause, Chris Rolfe (Stephen King 86), Cuauhtemoc Blanco ©, Brian McBride

Substitutes Not Used: Nick Noble (GK), C.J. Brown, Patrick Nyarko, Mike Banner, Andy Herron

STATS: Shots 14; Shots on Goal 6; Saves 4; Corner Kicks 6; Offside 2; Fouls Committed 8

Misconduct Summary:

NE – Chris Albright (caution) 7
CHI – John Thorrington (caution) 36
NE – Amaechi Igwe (caution) 47
NE – Shalrie Joseph (caution) 53
CHI – Jon Busch (caution) 62
NE – Chris Albright (second caution/ejection) 83

Referee: Jair Marrufo
Referee’s Assistants: CJ Morgante (SAR), Gregory Barkey (JAR)
Fourth Official: Terry Vaughn
Time of Game: 1:53
Weather: Cloudy and 59 degrees
Attendance: 17,312