FOXBOROUGH – From a distance, it could have passed for a header. Up close, it was obviously a volleyball spike.

Down, 1-0, in the 84th minute to Toronto FC, the Revolution were scrambling. Jerry Bengtson got off a header that looked like it would tie the game, but Toronto goalie Milos Kocic punched it to the right side.

Benny Feilhaber chased down the rebound and tried to back-heel it at the mouth of the goal. Shalrie Joseph was closest to it, but not close enough to make the play he wanted.

“I thought it was going in, but the back-heel was a little too high,” Joseph said. “I was just trying to get a body part on it, and it was a little too high for me, and the only thing I could get was my hand [on the ball].”

There was a celebration, an explosion, a small dust-up between Joseph and Toronto midfielder Terry Dunfeld (who after going at it all night finally earned yellow cards), and for a brief moment the goal was posted on the Gillette Stadium scoreboard.

But referee Hilariio Grajeda saw the handball as clear as day. It was obvious to Toronto coach Paul Mariner, too, but after being stunned by the Revolution with a 94th-minute equalizer less than three weeks ago, he had reason to worry.

“You always fear for the worst,” Mariner said. “But we saw it was a handball and fortunately the referee saw it.”

The goal was waved off, and the Revolution ate a 1-0 loss to Toronto, their first home loss since April 14. Even with seven minutes of extra time, the Revolution couldn’t muster late-game magic again.

“I tried to sneak one in, but it didn’t work out for me,” Joseph said. “After that it was just frustrating trying to find the equalizer all night.”

The Revolution had both their five-game unbeaten streak and seven-game home unbeaten streak snapped. It was also the first time in the all-time series that either team has come away with a win on the other’s home field.