Will Lee Nguyen and the Revolution finally find the back of the net on Saturday? Photo/Kristian Cardillo
By Julian Cardillo
The New England Revolution know that the playoffs and MLS Cup are very much in reach and that their lackluster performances through the first two games of the season, which have them at the bottom of the league, aren’t necessarily writing on the wall for a bad year.
The Revolution are no strangers to early season hiccups. They generally fumble their season opener, as they did this year at the hands of Seattle, 3-0. They’ve also lost game two of every season since Jay Heaps became head coach, including last weekend’s tilt at New York City FC, 2-0.
So the home opener—which the Revolution haven’t lost since 2006—can never come soon enough. And Saturday’s, against the Montreal Impact at Gillette Stadium, is no different.
“We’ve dropped six points on the road and it’s time to grab three,” defender Darrius Barnes told reporters earlier this week. “We’ve got to go take them.”
But the Revolution are expecting a steep test from Montreal, even though they’ll have their first home crowd of the year behind them. The already fragile back line that has allowed a league-worst five goals will be without Jose Goncalves (suspension), a starting center back and team captain. The onus could fall on Barnes to slot into Goncalves’ position and play alongside Andrew Farrell in the middle.
Regardless of the switch, the Impact are more than capable of pouncing on the Revolution’s back line if they offer up the same, errant defending that doomed them versus Seattle and New York.
Jack McInerney, who has punished the Revolution with five goals (three of the game-winners) in his career, is Montreal’s main spearhead. Meanwhile, Justin Mapp and Dominic Oduro have both been dangerous adversaries for the Revolution in past, adding pace in attacking transitions. And Ignacio Piatti, a veteran midfielder who’s been cultured in Argentina, France, and Italy’s top leagues, has asserted himself as Montreal’s playmaker.
The Impact were knocked-off by D.C. United two weeks ago, but are otherwise unbeaten in 2015. They’ve been competing in CONCACAF Champions League, earning results in difficult road venues in Costa Rica and Mexico, and are confident enough to win at Gillette Stadium.
For the Revolution, who are still looking for their first goal of the season despite creating a fair amount of chances in their first two games, taking Montreal out of the game will hinge on whether or not they can get on the scoreboard.
“We know we have to be clinical,” midfielder Andy Dorman told reporters. “We have to take some of the chances we created against New York [last week]and bring them to this game.”
The Revolution began last season in an eerily similar fashion to how they started this year—with two losses and five goals allowed—but ended up playing in MLS Cup. Saturday, in front of their home fans, is the Revolution’s next immediate opportunity to start turning the page and gear up for the same kind of run.
“We’ve had two rough goes on the road and to get back here in front of our home fans, to get the ball rolling here at home would be huge to get three points and get that momentum and confidence,” Barnes said.
