Shorthanded Revs hold on to take a point on the road!
The New England Revolution kicked off a two-game Canadian road trip on Wednesday as they paid a visit to BMO Field to face Toronto F.C.
Bruce Arena and the Revolution secured all three points in their last outing as a goal from Carles Gil in the eighteenth minute propelled the Revs to a 1-0 victory over D.C. United.
The Revolution found themselves shorthanded again on Wednesday. Jacob Jackson (ACL), Ismael Tajouri-Shradi (leg), and Henry Kessler (health and safety protocol) listed as out on the player availability. Gustavo Bou (leg), Dylan Borrero (leg), and Maciel (leg) did not travel with the team. Wednesday marked the fifth match Bou and Borrero have missed after suffering “minor injuries.”
The Revs looked to keep their series of streaks running through “the six” as they entered unbeaten in their last four matches while also holding a two-game winning streak. More impressive, the Revolution defense carried a 371-minute shutout streak into the game as Djordje Petrović looked to notch his fifth consecutive clean sheet.
Djordje Petrović was in goal as DeJuan Jones, Christian Makoun, Omar Gonzalez, Andrew Farrell, and Brandon Bye comprised the backline. It was Makoun’s first start in a Revs jersey while Gonzalez makes his first start since June 12th. Wilfried Kaptoum and Tommy McNamara held the midfield while Ema Boateng, Justin Rennicks, and Carles Gil provided the attack.
Lorenzo Insigne had a golden opportunity to put Toronto on the board on the ensuing corner kick as the ball fell right to him yards out from the back post. Wide open in front of an open goal, it only took a simple tap to put Toronto up 1-0. Thankfully Insigne did not react in time as the ball skidded away from Insigne and out for a goal kick.
A concerning sight arose in the twenty-fourth minute as Wilfried Kaptoum went down clutching his leg after suffering a non-contact injury. Kaptoum got up and walked off the field but would not return as Matt Polster replaced him in the 24th minute.
Makoun was a little too rough in the thirtieth minute as he took Ayo Akinola down inside the box as Fotis Bazakos awarded Toronto a penalty kick. Federico Bernardeschi stepped up to the spot and buried a left-footed shot to the bottom left corner of the net to put Toronto up 1-0.
Shortly after, Tommy McNamara took advantage of an Alex Bono cough-up in the 36th. Bono got a hand to McNamara’s shot yet failed to control the ball again. McNamara got onto the second rebound and slotted a right-footed shot into the back of the net to make things level at one apiece.
Insigne attempted to regain the lead for Toronto in the thirty-ninth minute as he sent a whistling shot towards the top of the goal. Petrović got a hand to it and deflected it out of play.
Rennicks wasted no time getting the offense rolling in the second half as a Gil through ball found the lone striker at the top right corner of the six-yard box. Rennicks unloaded a shot on goal that evaded a diving Lukas MacNaughton and sailed in between the legs of Alex Bono and into the net.
A pair of substitutions in the sixty-eighth minute as Noel Buck replaced Ema Boateng while Esmir Bajraktarević made his Major League Soccer debut as he replaced Justin Rennicks.
In the seventy-fifth minute, Federico Bernardeschi sent a pass to Michael Bradley just outside the top right corner of the box. Bradley turned inward as he lobbed a ball to Domenico Criscito, who eyed the ball as it plummeted down. Criscito stung a volley as the ball whipped to the top left corner of the net.
Despite the odds heading into the contest, the Revolution stood tall as they took a well-deserved point after things ended in a 2-2 draw. While not getting a clean sheet, Petrović had a solid night in net as the Serbian keeper notched five saves.
Wednesday’s draw moved the Revs into sixth place of the Eastern Conference as they hold 34 points on an 8-7-10 record. They currently tie fifth-placed Columbus on points.
The Revs will have another short rest as they complete their two-game Canadian road trip on Saturday, August 20th, as they travel to Stade Saputo to take on C.F. Montréal at 7:30 PM.