FOXBOROUGH, MA– The New England Revolution (6-3-1, 20 pts.) were held to a 1-1 draw on Saturday night in a match versus FC Cincinnati (6-3-1, 20 pts.)
The match kicked off at 7:30 p.m. ET at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA to a MLS leading crowd of 30,080.
Tonight's XI 🙌https://t.co/doGzTNR0ld | #MLSSeasonPass pic.twitter.com/Wb3wft4kaa
— New England Revolution (@NERevolution) April 29, 2023
The team started their lineup in a 4-2-3-1 formation with Đorđe Petrović starting in net with a backline of (left back) DeJuan Jones, (center backs) Dave Romney, and Andrew Farrell, along with (right back) Brandon Bye. The defensive midfield consisted of Noel Buck (left midfield), Matt Polster (right midfield). Captain Carles Gil played ahead of them in the central role. (center attacking midfield) The attacking roles were manned by Emmanuel Boateng (left attacking wing), Dylan Borrero (right winger), and Justin Rennicks as the lone striker.
On the injury front, forward Giacomo Vrioni missed tonight’s match with a leg injury that he had sustained in Thursday’s training session.
Returning from injury, Gustavo Bou and Bobby Wood begin the match on the bench.
Midfielder Latif Blessing missed today’s match as he had just returned from bringing his family home from Ghana.
▪️ Vrioni (3 goals in last 3 games) out w/ injury
▪️ Rennicks 1st MLS start of '23 (scored in USOC Tuesday)
▪️ Borrero back from suspension, Jones back from injury, both start
▪️ Bou, Wood back from injury, on bench
▪️ Blessing returned from Ghana today (not available)#NERevs https://t.co/YVJ37NW1dH— Jeff Lemieux (@jeff_lemieux) April 29, 2023
The match kicked off with FC Cincinnati starting from the center circle. Midfielder #10 Lucho Acosta connected two passes before sending it backward to his own center backs. Defender #15 Yerson Mosquera then launched the ball in behind the revolution backline to which Andrew Farrell needed to work overtime to secure a non-attacking play and managed to win a throw in.
In the 12th minute, FC Cincinnati defender #12 Matt Miazga entered the referee’s booklet with a yellow card for a foul.
In the first 20 minutes, the match was a back-and-forth contest with little to no major chances.
Disaster struck for the New England Revolution just 22 minutes into the match.
Following a through ball pass from midfielder Carles Gil, forward Dylan Borrero managed to get into a foot race with defender #15 Yerson Mosquera. After jumping over the sliding Mosquera, his foot awkwardly got caught into the turf field, and he went down in a heap. The Revolution announced that the injury is a left knee injury, and more information would be provided in the future.
Revolution Forward Dylan Borrero is down injury in a match versus FC Cincinnati at Gillette Stadium on April 29, 2023. (c) Rick Wilson
After a long stoppage, the Revolution were forced to substitute Dylan Borrero. Forward Esmir Bajraktarevic would enter the match.
In the 27th minute, following an ensuing FC Cincinnati corner kick, center official Alex Chilowicz intervened and called a penalty on forward Justin Rennicks.
FC Cincinnati’s corner kick was a designed play to find #31 Alvaro Barreal. His first touch bounces the ball off the turf which then bounces back up to strike Justin Rennicks right hand. There was a big dyspareunic on where the hand and where Rennicks was, and the referee stood with the penalty kick.
The ball did not lie.
He's still him. https://t.co/doGzTNR0ld | #MLSSeasonPass pic.twitter.com/7pRSQfutAm
— New England Revolution (@NERevolution) April 30, 2023
In the 29th minute, following the VAR and handball controversy, Revolution goalkeeper Đorđe Petrović stepped up and saved the penalty kick taken by #10 Lucho Acosta.
This is Petrović’s 5th penalty save in MLS in just 31 matches. He currently holds a 38% penalty save percentage, the highest among goalkeepers in MLS.
Foxboro, Massachusetts: Revolution goalkeeper (99) Đorđe Petrović makes a penalty save in a match versus FC Cincinnati at Gillette Stadium on April 29, 2023. (c) Rick Wilson
Two minutes later, FC Cincinnati broke the deadlock.
In the 31st minute, #31 Alvaro Barreal found #15 Yerson Mosquera unmarked in the Revolution six-yard-box to score the header past Petrović.
Two minutes later, the Revolution knocked right on the doorstep as Carles Gil played a lofted ball into the area to find defender Brandon Bye in an advanced position, but his header went over the bar.
In the 33rd minute, FC Cincinnati defender #31 Alvaro Barreal entered the referee’s booklet with a yellow card for a foul.
A minute later, FC Cincinnati continued their attacking threat as #17 Sergio Santos rounded Đorđe Petrović. His effort was blocked by a sliding Andrew Farrell.
In the 45 +2 minute, the Revolution leveled the match.
EMA 🐐TENG HAS RETURNED! pic.twitter.com/PnoCN0fKh2
— New England Revolution (@NERevolution) April 30, 2023
Midfielder Carles Gil found forward Esmir Bajraktarevic in the middle of the field with open space. Following 4 four touches, He managed to find Brandon Bye on the right flank. His right-footed low driven ball found Emmanuel Boateng at the far post for his first goal of the season.
Revolution Forward Emmanuel Boateng celebrates his goal versus FC Cincinnati at Gillette Stadium on April 29, 2023. (c) Rick Wilson
In the 45+9th minute, FC Cincinnati forward #17 Sergio Santos entered the referee’s booklet with a yellow card for a dissent.
Following the yellow card, the match entered halftime level at 1-1.
That half had a little bit of everything in it.#NERevs | @SantanderBankUS pic.twitter.com/5XnP92frGn
— New England Revolution (@NERevolution) April 30, 2023
The second half kicked off with forward Justin Rennicks starting from the midfield kickoff. He passed the ball backward to Matt Polster before the ball was launched up the right flank of the field.
In the 64th minute, the Revolution had a major chance as Emmanuel Boateng combined with Noel Buck. He played a through ball to find DeJuan Jones entering the area, and his close-range shot was saved by #18 Roman Celentano.
In the 69th minute, Revolution head coach Bruce Arena made his second and third substitutions of the match. He replaced forwards Justin Rennicks and Esmir Bajraktarevic for Bobby Wood and Gustavo Bou.
A minute later, FC Cincinnati believed that they had a penalty-kick. The center official went to the monitor and decided to call a goal kick.
Revolution midfielder Noel Buck (29) battles for a header versus FC Cincinnati’s Brandon Vazquez (19) in a match at Gillette Stadium on April 29, 2023. (c) Rick Wilson
In the 87th minute, Carles Gil found Gustavo Bou in behind with a chip-lofted pass. Bou’s left-footed effort struck the left post after being tipped by #18 Roman Celentano out for a corner kick.
In the 89th minute, New England Revolution forward Bobby Wood entered the referee’s booklet with a yellow card for a foul.
After the 90 minutes, the match ended in a 1-1 draw.
Heavyweight battle ends in a draw 🤝#NERevs | @SantanderBankUS pic.twitter.com/xpSZ2P7YeJ
— New England Revolution (@NERevolution) April 30, 2023
How's your squad looking after Matchday 10? 👀 pic.twitter.com/w0IvoPe6Pk
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 1, 2023
Following the draw, the Revolution remained ahead of FC Cincinnati on goal differential as they top the Eastern Conference for the second week in a row.
Roughly two hours after the match, Dylan Borrero was seen leaving Gillette Stadium in a brace and on crutches. He took to Instagram to thank fans. His statement reads, ” I was always a dreamer and that is what keeps me alive!! I always trust you, my God, even though I don’t understand this moment, I know that you are controlling everything!! “
🫶🫶🫶
📸: dylanborrero/IG pic.twitter.com/e0FZgO2X2T
— New England Revolution (@NERevolution) April 30, 2023
The New England Revolution (6-2-1, 20 pts.) head to Canada to face Eastern Conference side Toronto FC (2-6-2, 12 pts) at BMO Field on Saturday, May 6. The match kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app.
(Editor’s Note: For more of Burt Granofsky’s photos, click on the link)
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