New England Soccer Today

Revolution Lose Third Straight

Photo credit: Chris Aduama/aduamphotography.com

Photo credit: Chris Aduama/aduamphotography.com

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. –  The New England Revolution’s now seemingly annual summer slump continued on Saturday with a 2-1 loss against the Vancouver Whitecaps in front of 16,017 at Gillette Stadium.

Cristian Techera opened the scoring in the 18th minute after some shoddy Revolution defending, before Andrew Farrell conceded a penalty kick and received a red card, allowing Octavio Rivero to score from the spot and giving Vancouver a man advantage in the 31st minute. The Revolution fought valiantly to make a comeback from there, but Teal Bunbury’s 84th minute goal proved mere consolation in the 2-1 loss.

The loss ended New England’s home unbeaten run at 19 games and left the team with just one win in their last 11 games through all competitions. Still, thanks to a combination of a weak Eastern Conference and having played more games than many of their rivals in the conference, the Revolution (6-7-6, 24 points), who have a losing record for the first time since April 4, remains in second place.

Head coach Jay Heaps made three changes to the line-up that fell 2-1 at Columbus midweek. London Woodberry returned to the starting line-up at right back in place of Jeremey Hall, while Diego Fagundez got the start on the wings over Kelyn Rowe and Charlie Davies came in up top in place of Juan Agudelo.

New England had the first two good chances of the match starting in the tenth minute. First, a fortuitous deflection off referee Allen Champman got the ball to Davies just outside the box. Davies found Teal Bunbury open making a run into the right side of the box and Bunbury hit a powerful shot on frame that David Ousted could only tip wide for a corner.

The Revolution kept the pressure on after that chance and after Vancouver failed to clear, the ball eventually got out to Woodberry just outside the box. Woodberry had a bid for his first MLS goal, but Ousted tipped it high of the net.

“I thought we were trying to score goals and trying to play well, creating space and opportunities,” said Heaps. “Unfortunately we didn’t capitalize on Teal’s or London’s. Credit their goalkeeper, made two good saves.”

But the visitors would take the lead in the 18th minute. Mauro Rosales got down the right flank and sent a cross into the Revolution box. Rosales’ effort went too far for any Vancouver player to reach, but the play was kept alive by Revolution defender London Woodberry who, instead of clearing, headed it back across goal where it fell to Cristian Techera for an easy finish to put the Whitecaps up 1-0.

“We’ve had a tough two games where we’ve given up an early lead,” said Farrell. “That’s something that’s been bothering us the past 5 or 6 games, so we wanted to correct that. Unfortunately we go down on a cross which is something that we harped on not doing, but we were still in it. We had a lot of play. I think their goalie made two great good saves that could’ve probably changed the game a little bit.”

Four minutes later Vancouver had another chance, but Bobby Shuttleworth denied Rosales from a tight angle.

The Whitecaps would double their lead and go up a man in the 31st minute after earning a penalty kick when Techera went down after some contact on his left arm by Andrew Farrell. Farrell received a red card on the play and Octavio Rivero would convert the penalty kick to make it 2-0.

“He kind of got in front of me so I tried to slow him down a little bit,” said Farrell. “I watched the replay a couple times and I think I tapped his arm. I didn’t grab it I don’t think. He makes the call. It’s unlucky, but you know it’s part of the game. It happens. If I didn’t touch him, Bobby makes a save and we’re not in that whole. Again, it’s tough to put the guys in that type of position.”

The Revolution attempted to get one back before the break, but struggled down a man and went into the break with a two goal deficit.

New England continued to look for a goal to get back in the game, but didn’t create much until Bunbury made some space for himself outside the box and curled a left footed shot just high of the net in the 61st minute.

Two minutes later the Whitecaps caught the Revolution on the counter attack, but Kekuta Manneh’s shot was denied by the post.

Nguyen threated from outside the box for New England in the 71st minute after getting the ball from Fagundez, but Ousted was there to make the save.

Seven minutes later the Revolution had another chance when Tierney sent a corner to Caldwell, who passed it back to Tierney, allowing the left back to send in a dangerous cross. Tierney’s effort found Rowe, who powered a header on frame, but Ousted was well positioned to make the save.

Some more good pressure led to a Rowe chance in the 80th minute after Ousted pushed out Tierney’s cross. The ball fell to Rowe who hit a shot on frame, but Ousted recovered in time to make the save.

Bunbury finally pulled one back for New England in the 83rd minute off a Tierney free kick. Tierney curled a free kick to Rowe, who headed it back to Bunbury.  Bunbury hammered a low shot through traffic that made it through Ousted’s legs, making it 2-1 with his fourth goal of the year.

“It was a good ball in,” said Bunbury. “Kelyn went up and battled for it. It bounced in front me. I had some earlier chances I felt like I should’ve buried. I got a little lucky with that one. It went in and I just tried to keep it on target.”

The Whitecaps nearly got it back seconds later, but Caldwell got back to head clear a shot from Darren Mattocks.

New England had a chance to equalize in the 86th minute when Davies and Juan Agudelo combined to get Agudelo into the box. Agudelo tried to beat Ousted at the near post, but he was there to make the save.

The home side continued to press and earned a dangerous free kick just outside the box in the 89th minute. Tierney curled it to Agudelo, who got free to win the header, but hit it high of the net.

Only Shuttleworth kept the deficit at one in the 90th minute when Nicolás Mezquida got behind the defense into the left side of the box. Mezquida hit a shot on frame, but Shuttleworth denied it.

The Revolution were unable to find an equalizer in stoppage time, falling 2-1. The team now hits the road to face FC Dallas on July 4.

“I really did think we were going to equalize it and maybe win it,” said Bunbury. “We had a lot of opportunities. Their ‘keeper had an unbelievable game I feel like, making some big time games. Maybe we need some lucky bounces here or there and maybe the game is a little different, but we’ve got to look forward now. We have some games to really prove what we can do and get out of this little down stretch.”

Leave a Reply