Revolution Shutout Whitecaps for Win
- Updated: August 12, 2017
Photo credit: Chris Aduama/aduamaphotography.com
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Revolution’s two summer window additions, Claude Dielna and Krisztian Nemeth, weren’t yet available, but that didn’t stop the Revolution from getting a key victory on Saturday night in their hunt to turn around a thus far disappointing season and make a run at the playoffs. A resurgent Teal Bunbury’s early second half goal proved all the Revolution needed to pull out a 1-0 victory in front of 19,911 at Gillette Stadium against the Vancouver Whitecaps.
“There wasn’t a ton of flow to the game,” said head coach Jay Heaps. “It was really, as I say, clunky. The tempo wasn’t there whether it was we were giving bad passes away or injuries or guys going down or kicking it out. They did a nice job of disrupting the flow. There’s a recipe to why Vancouver’s good on the road, they know how to disrupt what you’re trying to do and then they have the ability to beat you if you take your eye off the ball for one minute.”
After a first half devoid of notable chances, the Revolution needed just eight minutes of the second half to take the lead. Some good hold up work from Kei Kamara sent Kelyn Rowe free down the right flank. Rowe sent in a perfect cross to an onrushing Bunbury who used his pace to get behind Tim Parker and volleyed Rowe’s cross past goalkeeper Stefan Marinovic for his fourth goal of the season, giving New England a 1-0 lead.
“Vancouver’s a very good team… it was going to take a special play,” said Bunbury. “Kelyn made an unbelievable run, unbelievable ball into the box. I tried to time my run and he placed it perfectly once again. I just wanted to bury it and was to get that 1-0 win.”
Vancouver nearly equalized in the 70th minute after earning a dangerous free kick just outside the box. Cristian Techera stepped up and curled a free kick towards the upper corner that was denied by the crossbar.
The Revolution would hold on from there for victory, despite some late chances, including a point blank save by Cody Cropper on Fredy Montero. But, it wasn’t all good news as Je-Vaughn Watson picked up a second half yellow card that will see him serve a one game suspension for yellow card accumulation.
The Revolution, who remain six points out of the sixth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot, return to action with a trip to Yankee Stadium to face New York City FC on Sunday, August 20th.
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