New England Soccer Today

A Tale of Two Debuts

Photo credit: Chris Aduama/aduamaphotography.com

Photo credit: Chris Aduama/aduamaphotography.com

Sunday’s 3-0 loss at Philadelphia could be filed as “forgettable” for a number of reasons for the Revolution, but for two of their own, it’ll be an event forever remembered.

In the waning stages of the Sunday matinee, rookie striker Femi Hollinger-Janzen and Homegrown midfielder Zachary Herivaux both got their first taste of MLS minutes.

Hollinger-Janzen, who had just signed with the club four days prior to the match, made his MLS debut in the 75th minute when he came on for Teal Bunbury. The Hoosier forward was included on the gameday roster for the first time this season due to the absence of Charlie Davies, who suffered a hamstring strain against DC United last week.

Herivaux, a 20-year-old Youth Academy prospect whose only minutes prior to Sunday came in a U.S. Open Cup match, logged his first MLS minutes after spelling Scott Caldwell in the 86th minute. The Brookline, Mass. resident earned a spot on the gameday roster in both of the club’s first two matches.

Photo credit: @jay_christley

Photo credit: @jay_christley

During the course of his 15-minute run, Hollinger-Janzen, who was selected in the third-round out of Indiana of this year’s SuperDraft, collected 16 touches, won two aerial challenges, and completed eight of his 11 passes as the target forward.

Herivaux’s four-minute cameo included eight touches, two interceptions, and four completed passes out of five partnered next to Gershon Koffie in the central midfield.

Both debuts were also notable given Hollinger-Janzen’s and Herivaux’s respective squad numbers.

Wearing the no. 88 (with “Femi” above it rather than his family name), Hollinger-Janzen became the first Revolution player to wear the unusual numeral in a regular season match. Herivaux is the first player to wear the no. 21 in New England since Shalrie Joseph, whom the Homegrown player called “a mentor” shortly after signing with the club last year.

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