JAFONSO Reaches eMLS League Series 1 Quarterfinal
The Revolution's newest eMLS player had a good outing in his first slate of action.
The 2024 eMLS season got off to a hot start this past weekend as 22 clubs participated in League Series 1.
Representing the New England Revolution in the competition was recent addition JAFONSO. The 19-year-old became the club's third-ever eMLS player after joining in December 2023.
Things started on Friday when JAFONSO played 10 matches as part of LS1 qualifying. His first qualifying match saw him face NYRB’s doolsta, where he secured his first victory with the Revs after picking up a 6-2 win.
With an undefeated record of 8-0-2, JAFONSO booked his spot into Saturday’s Group Stage portion of League Series 1. He found himself placed into Group A alongside K1John, KingCJ0, Chris Lopez, and AlanAvi.
JAFONSO’s impressive 6-0-2 record led to him capturing the top spot in Group A, which meant he received an automatic bye to Sunday’s quarterfinal.
The final stage began Sunday afternoon when LAFC’s Pabs faced Atlanta United’s highly decorated Paulo Neto. It was a back-and-forth match, but Neto advanced after securing a 3-2 victory to advance to the quarterfinals against JAFONSO.
Neto found two quick goals to go up 2-0. Yet JAFONSO wouldn't go down easy as he cut the lead in half. Things got worse for the Revs eMLS player in the second half when Neto earned a penalty, which he buried to extend his lead to two. JAFONSO got back into the game again as he notched a second goal to shrink the deficit to one.
JAFONSO fought his hardest, but Neto drilled the final nail in the coffin in the closing minutes, as he found himself all alone advancing towards JAFONSO’s net, where he buried the ball into the back and earned a 4-2 victory to advance to the semifinal.
Despite coming up short, 2024’s League Series 1 was a phenomenal debut for the New England Revolution’s newest eMLS player. JAFONSO’s first outing with the Revs saw him amass an impressive 14-1-4 record with a plus-50 goal differential over the qualifying, group, and final stages of League Series 1.
Neto’s reign of dominance in eMLS continued after securing a 3-2 victory over NYCFC’s Ollelito to secure a spot in the League Series 1 final against Austin FC’s Diogo, where Neto secured a 5-1 victory to win his fourth eMLS title.
JAFONSO and the rest of eMLS will meet again on March 1st, as League Series 2 begins.