Recap: Revs II Handed First SO Loss of 2023
Recap: Revs II Handed First SO Loss of 2023
Chicago were perfect from the penalty spot as they handed New England their first penalty shootout loss of the season
Revolution II were back in action Sunday night following the All-Star break, traveling to SeatGeek Stadium to take on Chicago Fire II. A total of five changes were made to the starting XI which saw Esmir Bajraktarevic, Joshua Bolma, Jack Panayotou, Damian Rivera, and Tommy McNamara getting minutes outside of first team action. Sunday’s match was McNamara’s first of 2023 as he comes back from injury.
In the 16th minute, Jordan Adebayo-Smith had an opportunity to put New England ahead, but he was unable to get a good first touch on a dangerous ball from Panayotou that was played right on Chicago’s six-yard box. Pierre Cayet had back-to-back opportunities to get the visitors on the board in the 25th minute with chances from the center of Chicago’s box, but both attempts were denied by the keeper.
Both sides traded attempts back and forth for the duration of the first half, with both keepers making big saves to keep things scoreless going into half-time.
It was Panayotou who put the Revolution on the board in the 59th minute off an assist from Peyton Miller. Miller was able to play a ball into the middle of Chicago’s box where an unmarked Panayotou was waiting, and laced the ball passed the keeper and into the upper ninety.
Following the goal New England made their first substitution of the game, replacing McNamara with Jake Rozhansky.
Chicago responded just two minutes later finding their equalizer through substitute Noeh Hernandez. Hernandez was able to get off a shot from inside New England’s box, putting the ball just wide of Jackson’s fingertips.
The Revs made a pair of substitutions in the 75th minute with Malcolm Fry and Marcos Dias replacing Bajraktarevic and Bolma respectively.
Rivera looked as though he was going to put the game away for New England in the 78th minute with a shot from inside Chicago’s box, but the keeper was able to make the save and keep things level.
Following a brief delay in the match due to an injured Chicago player, the final minutes of regulation were filled with both teams exchanging fouls back and forth as they fought to find the game-winner.
New England made their final sub of the match in the 92nd minute as Jacob Akanyirige entered for Tiago Suárez.
At the end of regulation the game was tied, meaning that for the fifth time this season — and second against Chicago — New England was going to a shoot-out.
Chicago was perfect from the penalty spot as they handed New England their first penalty shoot-out loss of the season, winning the match 5-3 on kicks. Managing a single point, the Revs remain in second place, trailing Crown Legacy FC by nine points.
Revolution II returns to Gillette Stadium to face off against New Red Bulls II on Sunday, August 6th at 6:00 EST and you can catch all of the action on MLSNEXTPro.com.