New England Weekly Review: May 7, 2024

Picking up points, finding disappointment and the kids are quite alright.

Photo Courtesy of J. Alexander Dolan

Sitting at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, the Revs were required to pick up points in their away game against the Chicago Fire. With a second-half Tomas Chancalay screamer, the Revs took all three points winning 0-1.

Rhode Island FC played North Carolina FC and drew their fifth game of the season in a scoreless encounter. The match was headlined by Koke Vegas return under the goal-posts and his first clean sheet of the season.

Hartford Athletic put in an astute defensive performance but could not stop the USL Championship’s top goal scorer as Charleston Battery’s Nick Markanich scored an overhead kick to break the deadlock.

The Revs II nearly dropped a two-goal lead, but a 95th minute penalty converted by Marcos Dias gave them a 3-2 victory over Chicago Fire II. Richie William’s side has climbed up to seventh place in the MLS NEXTPro.

With a week left until the USL League 2 starts, three of the New England clubs were placed in the league’s top 15 in the power rankings. Vermont Green FC featured the highest at seventh place followed by the Western Mass Pioneers in eighth place. The Seacoast United Phantoms were also placed at 13th.

Here are some pointers and observations from the weekend:

Disappointing Victory?

It may be a bit rich for a team at the bottom of the table to be disappointed in a win — but that was the mood after the New England Revolution beat the Fire.

Having won just two games so far, the performances on the field for the Revolution have been a shadow of last year’s team.

Under Caleb Porter this season, the team has looked to build from the back and to control possession. Both aspects of this approach have kept the backline exposed and allowed opponents to punish mistakes while playing out the back. However, this weekend saw the Revs play direct at times, which was how they found their goal.

This weekend saw the debut of Slovenian goalkeeper Alijaz Ivacic and the second game for former Sounders center-back Xavier Arreaga. Ivacic logged three saves, including a free kick that forced him to take flight. Ivacic’s performance in goal was the best from any goalkeeper in a Revs jersey this season and it seems that he will be the starter for the team.

Arreaga on the other hand left a bit more to be desired. The Ecuadorian started off at the referee’s mercy after causing three fouls within the first 17 minutes. He misplaced eight passes, but none led to any dangerous chances. He did prove a threat on set pieces as he forced a save from Chicago’s 20-year-old goalie Chris Brady on a corner. With the following corner, Carles Gil found Arreaga at the back-post, but he didn’t manage to head the ball on frame.

While Vrioni looked good at holding up the play and creating space for Chancalay to run into, he finished the game without registering a single shot.

At this point, the Revs need to take each point they can get. While last weekend’s game may be a step in the right direction, the level of the performance would not get the Revs past most sides this season.

Young Wingers Are Fun

With their victory against the Chicago Fire II, the Revs II made it two consecutive wins. Alex Monis’ two goals propelled the Revs II as the forward played against his former side.

Monis has been a tough player to categorize this season as he’s not a one-trick pony, but rather an all-around forward. He quick, good in tight spaces, and a tidy finisher. Standing at 5-foot-6 and weighing 132 lbs, Monis is not the most physical of players, but he reads the game well. He’s not necessarily a winger that hugs the touchline, but likes to float in open spaces and create danger from there.

His first goal this weekend came from a transition play as Marcos Dias got on the end of a loose ball and back-heeled it into the path of Gevork Diarbian. Former Vermont Green FC winger Diarbian squared the ball across the Fire defense to Monis, who had held his run after not receiving the ball from Dias. Monis had created enough space between him the goalie and a defender before calmly tapping the ball into the back of the goal.

In the 53rd minute, Monis cut-off a pass from a Fire defender on the touchline. Monis raced towards the box before cutting onto his left foot, taking a touch and slamming the ball into the bottom corner.

While the Revs II have looked dependent on Jack Panayotou as their most talented player, the team has stepped up when Panayotou has been with the first-team.

For the first team, Esmir Bajraktarević was one of the few shining lights for the Revolution in Chicago.

After several dangerous crosses and two good dribbles, Bajraktarević got on the end of a Carles Gil pass in the 52nd minute. The 19-year-old winger settled the ball and forced a save from Brady. He was then made way for Dylan Borrero in the 75th minute.

Both players were fun to watch this weekend and with Borrero back in action, both the Revs and Revs II have plenty of talent on the wings.

Another Week, Some More Bangers

As lackluster as the Revs performed, Chancalay scored a wonder goal that was nominated to the MLS goals of the week. While the Revs can’t rely on goals from nearly 30-yards out, Chancalay’s strike was worth the three points that the Revs needed.

Chancalay got on the end of a loose ball after him and Bajraktarević chased down the ball. Having put the ball onto his left foot, Chancalay struck the ball without a second thought. The ball sailed into the top left corner at such a pace that Chris Brady didn’t even move a muscle.

Video courtesy of the New England Revolution.

Over in Charleston, Hartford Athletic faced a corner kick and dealt with it quite well as the ball was headed out of the box. The Battery’s Chris Allen mis-hit the ball towards the goal and as the ball floated in the box, Nick Markanich swung himself backward and put the ball into the goal with an overhead kick.

Video courtesy of GF via YouTube.

Markanich is the USL Championship’s top goal scorer with 12 goals in 7 games and an early shout for the MVP. Hartford dealt well with him as their low block limited the space that he found himself in. Coming from conceding six goals last week, Hartford put on a much better performance against one of the top teams in the division.

However, the brilliance of a scissor kick left them pointless.