FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Getting Juan Agudelo, Lee Nguyen, and Diego Fagundez on the pitch simultaneously – let alone in sync – has been a challenge for the New England Revolution this season in spite of the trio’s close bond off the field as well as the similarities in their style of play as attackers.
Agudelo has been injured for much of the year while Nguyen and Fagundez have struggled to show their top form.
But all three players started and scored in the Revolution’s 3-1 victory over New York City FC on Saturday night at Gillette Stadium, a performance that was perhaps the club’s best of the season and keeps their playoff hopes alive with just five games remaining.
“Those guys have always had an instinctual feel for each other,” said Revolution coach Jay Heaps after the match. “We talk about chemistry. Those guys certainly have it, and that’s important for us down the stretch.”
The Revolution, with the help of their dynamic scorers, delivered a smackdown on rivals NYCFC, who entered the weekend in first place in the Eastern Conference.
But NYCFC looked nothing like a first place team against the Revolution. In fact, it was scarcely noticeable that New York had Andrea Pirlo, Frank Lampard, and David Villa on the field, as Agudelo, Nguyen, and Fagundez stole the show instead.
In a 4-3-3 formation, Agudelo acted as the target striker with Nguyen and Fagundez making runs out of the midfield. Kelyn Rowe, who was involved in creating the plays that led to each of his team’s goals, also helped on counters and in transitions.
“Where Diego, Lee, and Juan play quickly – [Rowe] does a good job of opening space…” Heaps said. “That’s huge for us.”
The Revolution pressured high from the start of the game, Nguyen having two bids stopped inside the first 20 minutes by New York goalkeeper Josh Saunders, who finished the game with nine saves.
New England’s breakthrough arrived in the 22nd minute off a freekick, thanks in part to Rowe, who drew a foul on the right flank from Jefferson Mena.
Chris Tierney’s cross swung into the box and was cleared by New York, Fagundez picking up possession just outside the box and playing through Agudelo, who took a touch toward the six-yard box before curlign a shot inside the far post for the 1-0 lead.
Agudelo, who scored in last weekend’s 2-0 victory against the Colorado Rapids, has now scored in consecutive games twice this season.
“When I get the ball, I try to looked for [Agudelo] because he creates good passing and good spacing where he can go one-on-one, the first goal that’s what happened exactly,” Fagundez said. “Just laid it off to him and he did the rest.”
Seconds after the ensuing kick-off, Mena again gave away possession, Agudelo entered the box and blasting a drive off Saunders.
“I’m happy we got a win, I scored, but I should have had a lot more goals today,” Agudelo said, smiling, after the game.
Nguyen finally doubled the lead in the 42d minute for his sixth goal of the season. Andrew Farrell played the ball forward to Rowe on the right flank, who again beat Mena and played a hard ball through the box that reached Nguyen, who then took a touch and blasted the ball past Saunders.
At halftime, the Revolution had an 11-3 edge in shots, as well as a 9-0 advantage in shots on target.
“I think it was the most tired I’ve been in any first half,” Agudelo said.
New York came out with more vigor in the second half, cutting the Revolution’s lead in half within minutes.
Pirlo, roaming just outside the box, sent the ball wide for RJ Allen, who came on a halftime for Jason Hernandez.
Allen then sent the ball across the penalty area, Lampard meeting the feed in front of the net to easily finish between two defenders and make it 2-1. That was New York’s only shot on goal of the game.
“To let them come down and score like that was a gut punch,” Heaps said. “I liked our reaction. No one put their head down. We knew we were going to be in a fight against them.”
And rather than implode, the Revolution returned to attacking and administering high pressure.
They were rewarded for their persistence, too, as Fagundez made it 3-1 in the 58th minute.
Rowe won back possession in the middle of the field and then sent Nguyen in behind NYCFC’s back line. Nguyen then played Agudelo, who scuffed a shot at an oncoming Saunders for a point-blank save. But Agudelo slid onto the rebound and got the ball to Fagundez, who was making a hard run into the box.
Fagundez took the loose ball and then slotted the chance into the net past Saunders, his fourth of the season.
“To let them come down and score like that was a gut punch,” Heaps said. “I liked our reaction. No one put their head down. We knew we were going to be in a fight against them.”
New York’s Federico Bravo earned a red card from match referee Juan Guzman in the 86th minute for a hard tackle on Gershon Koffie, one of the final actions of the game.
With a one-man advantage, the Revolution managed to close the game out. They’ve now won back-to-back games for only the second time this season. They’ve also improved to seventh place and are within one point of Orlando City SC for the conference’s sixth and final playoff place.
Orlando play at Los Angeles on Sunday.
The Revolution will look to extend this run beyond league play, as the team leaves on Sunday morning for Texas, where they’ll play FC Dallas on Tuesday evening in the US Open Cup final.
Dallas played on Saturday night as well, losing to Colorado 1-0 for their first home loss of the season.
“The next 24 hours are vital for guys to get regen,” Heaps said. “It’s good momentum, we feel like we’re putting together 90 minute performances.
“We have that confidence, going into one of the toughest places to play in Dallas. If we maintain our confidence, we should have an opportunity.
Follow Julian on Twitter @juliancardillo
