Aljaz Ivacic Repaying Revolution for Trusting Goalkeeper

"But the fact that he was tough enough to stay in [the match] and wanted to be in just shows how hungry he is to help the team and how bad he wants to do well for the supporters and for the club."

Photo By J. Alexander Dolan

Aljaz Ivacic has found a new lease on life with the New England Revolution.

The goalkeeper’s MLS career seemed to be on life support after he was let go from the Portland Timbers after being suspended. New England picked him up in the middle of last season and Ivacic hasn’t looked back. Since coming to New England, Ivacic has appeared in 27 matches and made 106 saves and recorded five clean sheets.

“It’s been very good,” Ivacic said of his time in New England. “I feel very, very good here at the club and in Boston. I feel appreciated and respected, which I didn’t at previous clubs. I am very happy here and I want to repay that trust of the club with good performances on the field. But as you said, last year we were struggling a little bit, but this year will be better.”

Part of the reason Ivacic might feel more respected is due to the trust that head coach Caleb Porter has placed in him. Ever since he was acquired he has been New England’s No. 1 goalkeeper. Porter even said in 2024 that he believes that Ivacic is one of the best goalkeepers in all of MLS.

“My relationship with him is very good,” Ivacic said of his relationship with Porter. “At the end of the day, he brought me here, so he gave me my second opportunity. When I got waived by Portland, no one else wanted me in the league. This club, they were the only ones that wanted me, and now I feel an obligation to repay them back on the field.”

2025 has started off much better for Ivacic and the back line. New England has only allowed one goal this season and defensively the club has improved.

While New England suffered defeat against the Columbus Crew last weekend, holding an offensive powerhouse such as the Crew to a lone goal deserves some praise. Ivacic in particular is also due some positive attention.

The goalkeeper suffered what he later revealed to Seth Macomber as a dislocated finger in the second half. The medical staff attended to the goalkeeper and while Alex Bono began to work up, Ivacic had his finger popped back into place and would see out the rest of the match.

Head coach Caleb Porter liked the toughness that he saw from Ivacic against the Crew.

“Yeah, [Ivačič] did dislocate his finger,” Porter said. “They popped it back in. Obviously, it was still really sore and it was really swollen after the game. But the fact that he was tough enough to stay in [the match] and wanted to be in just shows how hungry he is to help the team and how bad he wants to do well for the supporters and for the club. After the game it got pretty swollen. We backed him off in training, kind of limited for a couple days and then he was full out today. It’s really important that there’s a psychology that comes back into his mind where he’s not tentative looking to try to make saves. He was full out today and he’ll be full out tomorrow. So, we think he’ll be good to go [on Saturday].”

Ivacic also told reporters on Thursday that he is feeling good.

The goalkeeper will face another test when the Philadelphia Union come to town for the third matchday of the 2025 season. While Jim Curtin is no longer patrolling the touchline, the Union have found a purple patch in front of the net. Philly has scored eight goals in just two matches so far this season with Tai Baribo leading the way after scoring a hattrick last weekend.

With current Union head coach Bradley Carnell liking his teams to press, Ivacic noted that the back line will need to be careful building out of the back.

“They are going to press us high,” the goalkeeper said. “They are very good at high pressing, so we will have to be careful playing out of the back. We will have to mix it [up], playing long sometimes and then play short. A lot of crossing, too. They are very dangerous in the box. They have some guys that are good in the box, so we will have to prepare for that. But at the end of the day, I think it’s about us, too. If we execute well, I think we will control the game.”