New England Revolution 2 - Sporting Kansas City 1: 3 Thoughts
The New England Revolution were able to beat up on a struggling Sporting Kansas City on Saturday night.
The New England Revolution were able to beat up on a struggling Sporting Kansas City on Saturday night.
The starting XI looked a lot different as DeJuan Jones failed to make the match day squad after picking up a knock in training. Gustavo Bou and Bobby Wood were also once again out due to injuries. Christian Makoun replaced Jones at left back.
Latif Blessing was also out of the squad as the team allowed him to travel to Ghana to complete the visa process for his family. Blessing’s family will arrive in the United States next week.
Giacomo Vrioni was once again the lone striker up top earning his second straight start. The only other striker on the matchday squad was Justin Rennicks with Jozy Altidore also missing the match.
With injuries ravaging the roster, Noel Buck returned to the starting XI and Esmir Bajraktarevic got his second straight start. Veteran Ema Boateng also got his first start of the season.
But what do you need to know about the win? Here are three thoughts.
1 - Vrioni has his groove back
Once again the DP striker was able to find the back of the net and after a rough start to the season, he appears to have his groove back.
The first goal was overall a great play started from a beautiful ball courtesy of captain Carles Gil. Vrioni made a great run and was able to weave his way through defenders to slot the ball home.
After scoring in the 31st minute, Vrioni also found the back of the net after finding a rebound off of a shot from Gil in the 35th minute. In under five minutes, the striker secured the first brace of his MLS career.
Vrioni’s movement off the ball is what has been impressive. He knows when to time his runs and is able to find open space to get his shots off. Vrioni also caused SKC to go a man down with over 30 minutes left in the game with Andreu Fontas picking up a straight red.
The confidence of the 24-year-old has to be at an all-time high after his performance on Saturday and Bruce Arena will have some selection headaches once his squad is healthy.
2 - Ema Startateng
Once again Ema Boateng showed that he is a valuable member of the Revolution roster. The MLS veteran made an impact in his first start of the 2023 season recording an assist.
Boateng’s speed and skill allow him to make an impact whenever he enters a game. He is a constant threat on the flanks and is whipping crosses into the box on the regular. The 29-year-old showed off his speed on his assist as he bursted down the sideline and found Vrioni in the box.
The veteran came off in the 74th minute and he completed 89 percent of his passes and recorded 40 touches while creating four chances and having three passes into the final third.
Boateng is a player that always leaves his mark on a game. Whether it is coming off the bench or getting a start as he did on Saturday, the veteran manages to perform well.
3 - Esmir Bajraktarevic shows no fear
Ever since making his first MLS appearance in 2022, Bajraktarevic has shown he isn’t afraid to go at opponents. The youngster even nutmegged an opponent in one of his first appearances of his MLS career.
The 18-year-old was once again impressive on the ball drawing an early yellow card to be issued to Fountas. Bajraktarevic also was solid when defending, an area of his game which has needed some improvement since jumping up to MLS.
The youngster completed 88 percent of his passes in the first 45 minutes and recorded 22 touches. He even had a scoring chance early on but his header went over the goal. The 18-year-old also won both of his tackles and won six of his 10 ground duals.
With the amount of injuries that New England is currently dealing with, Bajraktarevic could etch out a starting role for himself. The fact that himself along with Buck are competing for starting spots shows how far the organization has come
With the win, next Saturday’s matchup against FC Cincinatti will be a battle for the top of the Eastern Conference. It will be a chance for the Revolution to make a statement and show the rest of the league that they are one of the best teams in MLS.