A late goal secured full points for the New England Revolution against New York City FC at Citi Field on Wednesday night.
Carles Gil put the visitors ahead when he scored a penalty in the 11th minute. Luighi found an equalizer in the 71st before a stoppage-time strike by Daniel Gazdag restored the Revs' lead.
Here are three thoughts from the game.
Kohler Stands Out
I continue to be impressed by Ethan Kohler. The 21-year-old center back not only loves to defend but can also pick out a pass. He's a central cog for head coach Marko Mitrovic.
Look at Kohler's positioning in the clip below. It starts with him stepping high to win a loose ball. He then shows composure by taking a few touches before finding Gil.
Kohler doesn't retreat as the Revs try to penetrate; instead, he shifts his body, looking for a chance to help. It comes when NYCFC fail to clear the ball on two occasions.
Kohler shows patience as the Revs circulate the ball, displaying a clear understanding of the space around him. The one-time pass is picturesque, even if it doesn't amount to much.
A high line sometimes encourages the opponent to go long to exploit the space behind. This means that defenders have to be ready to sniff out danger. Kohler does this masterfully in the next clip.
Kohler does everything so quietly that it's easy to overlook his contributions, but his impact is undeniable to those who watch closely. His tenacity and continual growth (he will surely reflect on NYCFC's goal) are major reasons why the Revs felt comfortable trading Brayan Ceballos to CF Montreal for up to $850,000 in General Allocation Money.
A Game-Winner Worth Rewatching
Winning the game in stoppage time was exciting, but the entire build-up to the goal deserves attention.
It starts with Ilay Feingold making a well-timed run to get on the end of a pass from Luca Langoni. The right back's cross is headed toward the goal by Jackson Yueill, but Gazdag stops then attempts a backheel.
The Revs fight to keep the ball high (shoutout to Will Sands), ultimately finding Feingold out wide. He takes on his man before sending in a cross that Gazdag gets to because of excellent movement in the box. Wilson Harris deserves credit for drawing defenders away with his run.
Mitrovic wants movement and relentlessness in his team. When the first attempt doesn't go in, the Revs remain committed to finding another way. Their approach is rewarded with three points.
Substitutions helped tilt the game in the Revs' favor. Feingold had three key passes after he entered in the 72nd minute, and Gazdag had two shots on target (and a goal called back due to offside).
Mitrovic again preached patience with Feingold as he works back from injury, but his return is big for the Revs.
"We have to understand that Ilay had four months out, he had surgery on July 8,
that’s two months [ago] today," Mitrovic said. "When you have that surgery and you’re coming back, and he only had two weeks of practicing with us, something that Ilay has is a good mindset and he is working hard. We trust him, we believe in him, and today we gave him those minutes, which is good for him to come back.
"However, we are in a performance environment and once you step on the field you have to perform as well. So, he did a great job both in and out of possession."
Mitrovic complimented Gazdag for getting in the right spots.
"In order to score goals, there are two things you have to do right: You have to be in the right spot at the right time, and you have to have that composure you’re talking about," Mitrovic said.
"I think that last period behind Gazdag [in Columbus] maybe wasn’t his most successful in terms of scoring goals. It’s something where he came and we sat with him and spoke. We said, ‘Dániel listen, just get in those right spots and don’t think about the outcome. If you miss the opportunity, we are ready to live with that.’ There is no pressure like, ‘Oh, you have to score the goals’. Just [do] the right things in the right way."
Injuries
Both Alhassan Yusuf (20th minute) and Will Sands (95th minute) came off with injuries, which is something to keep an eye on.
Yueill replaced Yusuf after the Nigerian international collided with an opponent, while Tanner Beason spelled Sands late because of a head injury.
Both players have been fixtures for Mitrovic, so it will be interesting to see who comes in if they miss some time. Yueill did get a shoutout during Mitrovic’s locker room talk.
The head coach offered the following assessment of Yusuf, Sands, and Jack Harrison on Friday: "They're all still being evaluated right now. I think all three of them are at the evaluation stage, and we'll learn more about the seriousness of their injuries and what the next steps will be."
