New England Revolution coach Caleb Porter obtained the efficiency he was on the lookout for however not the outcome.
Toronto FC goalkeeper Season Johnson recorded his second consecutive clear sheet to safe a 1-0 victory over the Revolution of their MLS house opener earlier than 29,293 on Sunday at Gillette Stadium.
The Revolution are 2-0 in Champions Cup play however 0-2 to start out the MLS season. The Revolution outshot Toronto FC 23-8 and 6-2 in photographs on track. They additionally possessed the ball 64% of the time and made 659 passes to 378 for TFC.
“It’s tough and we had a great crowd today in the home opener and we are on the wrong end of a loss, a result we didn’t want,” stated Porter. “I used to be inspired by the best way the group performed particularly within the second half. There was a whole lot of good in there and we have now to maintain a perspective and we have to stick with the method.
“We doubled them in all the analytics and all the things I care about when I look at performance. I thought we performed well today but certainly the result stinks.”
The Revolution will face two-time Champions Cup winner Liga Deportiva Alajuelense of the Costa Rican Primera Division in leg one among a home-and-home Round of 16 sequence on Wednesday evening (6) at Gillette Stadium. The Revolution will resume MLS play on Saturday evening (7:30) at Atlanta United FC.
Porter reconfigured his beginning XI to accommodate the lack of dynamic striker Giacomo Vrioni, who was suspended for selecting up two yellow playing cards within the first half of the Revolution’s 3-1 loss to D.C. United within the MLS opener on Feb. 24 at Audi Field.
Tomas Chancalay shifted from the left facet to Vrioni’s spot on the highest of Porter’s 4-2-3-1 scheme. Homegrown Esmir Bajraktarevic began at ahead on the precise facet whereas Noel Buck and Emmanuel Boateng obtained the nod within the attacking midfield.
“He (Chancalay) is used to playing striker and he’s played it a lot throughout his career,” stated Bajraktarevic. “We did well but we have to put away our chances and its on us. We could have won the game if we put away our chances.”
Revolution captain Carles Gil, the group’s main scorer in 2023, was house on the 10-position regardless of leaving Wednesday’s Champions Cup match at halftime with a strained Achilles tendon. Gil was energetic all through his 90-minutes on the pitch and was on the enterprise finish of some exhausting fouls.
“I can’t say enough about Carles and it was touch and go a little bit,” stated Porter. “I think as a supporter you are going to like that and he is a player that wants to be in. He gives everything he has for this club.”
The Revolution owned the possession sport from the onset, however Toronto FC had the 2 greatest scoring probabilities contained in the opening quarter-hour. Striker Prince Owusu narrowly missed the close to publish on a header within the scoring space and had an uncontested boot sail over the crossbar.
Ravas made his greatest save of the season when he stoned Jonathan Osorio from 15 ft within the twenty sixth minute however had no likelihood on Toronto’s go-ahead tally within the twenty seventh. Attacker Lorenzo Insigne gained possession on the left half of the field and fired an arching ball that eluded the over-committed Ravas and located the far publish for Toronto’s purpose first of the season.
“He (Insigne) is quality and everyone knows it,” stated Ravas. “When he takes it on his right foot he will try and get a shot off. I’m not sure if he was trying to cross it on trying to shoot, only he knows.”
Porter tried to interrupt the logjam within the Toronto FC finish with two substitutions within the 61st minute. Porter changed Buck and Boateng with Nacho Gil and Mark-Anthony Kaye, each of whom had scored a purpose towards CA Independiente in Champions Cup play on Thursday evening.
Johnson preserved his clear sheet with athletic stops on Gil, Chancalay and Nacho Gil within the second half. Johnson was issued a yellow card within the 86th minute and preserved the shutout with a powerful save on Matt Polster in stoppage time.
“We had chances and hats off to Sean Johnson,” stated Porter. “Insigne pulls a rabbit out of his hat and finds a world class goal. The difference today was Insigne finding a goal, pulling off a play out of nothing, and Sean Johnson standing on his head.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com