Revolution end their 2022 campaign in a very 2022 Revolution fashion.
The New England Revolution wrapped up their 2022 MLS season on Sunday as they traveled to SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois, to take on the Chicago Fire.
Giacomo Vrioni started up top with Gustavo Bou and Nacho Gil behind him. Carles Gil, Tommy McNamara, and Wilfried Kaptoum composed the midfield.
Kaptoum filled in for Matt Polster, who left last Saturday’s contest with a lower leg injury. DeJuan Jones returned to the lineup after missing the previous two matches due to injury as he joined Henry Kessler, Andrew Farrell, and Brandon Bye. Team MVP and Players’ Player Djordje Petrović started in between the sticks.
The Revolution attack wasted no time as Nacho Gil drove down the right flank before threading a ball behind the last two defenders and into a pocket of space right in front of the left side of the goal. Giacomo Vrioni ran onto the ball as he attempted to tap the ball into the open net with his left foot. Vrioni’s touch was not good enough as the ball sailed up and over the goal.
Vrioni had a chance to redeem himself in the fourth minute as he again found himself inside the box with space to attack. After some hesitation, Vrioni decided to drive a shot right at Chris Brady, who made himself bigger to deflect the shot. Nacho Gil did not look pleased as the midfielder found a pocket of space near Vrioni before Giacomo took the shot.
Chicago caused issues for the Revs in the 22nd minute as Jhon Durán worked himself around Kessler and drove down the right flank. Durán attempted to send a slick shot to the lower left corner of the net, but Petrović stretched himself to get a fingertip to the ball and directed it out for a Chicago corner kick.
McNamara laid in a perfect tackle in the 52nd minute, which led to a three-on-two opportunity for the Revolution attack. Gustavo Bou looked to find the back of the net, but Chris Brady was all over the shot as he deflected the ball out for a corner kick. Petrović flashed his hops in the 60th minute as he leaped into the air to catch Chicago’s corner kick before it dropped into a dangerous position.
The Revs first substitution came in the 65th minute as Dylan Borrero came on for Vrioni.
There was a near-disaster in the 66th minute as a mad scramble in front of the Revolution goal nearly led to Chicago finding the opening goal. Petrović flashed the leather as he somehow saved the ball while on the ground.
Chris Mueller attempted to catch Petrović lacking in the 71st minute as he attempted a side volley from a distance. Petrović was all over it as he got both hands to it.
Borrero looked to one-up Mueller in the 71st minute as he flipped into the air and attempted to land the bicycle kick in the net. Borrero’s bike had too much on it as it sailed out for a goal kick.
Then a pair of substitutions came in the 74th minute as Damian Rivera and Christian Makoun came on for Nacho Gil and Kaptoum.
Borrero nailed an absolute golazo in the 88th minute. After generating some space, Borrero sent a curling shot from the top of the box past Chris Brady and into the top left corner of the net.
The Revs final substitution came in stoppage time as Omar Gonzalez came on for Bou.
It looked as if the Revs were going to close out their 2022 campaign with two straight wins, well that was until the second minute of stoppage time. Carlos Terán placed a long throw-in perfectly as Petrović leaped into the air looking to grasp the ball and draw out the clock. Gonzalez had the same idea as the two had a minor collision midair that led to the ball falling directly to Alex Monis, who easily slotted the ball into the back of the net.
Sunday’s collapse marked the 31st point that the Revolution dropped from a winning position. The Revs end their 2022 campaign in 10th place with 42 points on a 10-12-12 record, something Bruce and company will look to improve in 2023.