Revolution II Playoff Preview: 10/14 vs Crew 2
Revs II look to continue their incredible playoff run and punch their ticket to the 2023 MLS NEXT Pro Cup Final!
New England Revolution II returns to playoff action Saturday night as they look to punch their ticket to the 2023 MLS NEXT Pro Cup Final! Catch up on everything you need to know ahead of Saturday’s match!
Opponent: Columbus Crew 2
Date: Saturday, September 14th
Time: 5:00 PM ET
Venue: Gillette Stadium
Broadcast: MLS Season Pass
Projected Weather: Saturday looks to be a typical fall evening as temps sit in the high 50s and come kickoff while gradually falling to the mid and low 50s throughout the match. Winds will not be much of a factor as they stay a steady seven miles per hour.
New England Revolution II:
New England enters the MLS NEXT Pro Eastern Conference Final after ending their fourth campaign with 56 points on a 14-6-8 record with six shootout victories.
After failing to make the postseason in their first three campaigns, Revolution II have hit the ground running in their inaugural playoff run as they're one win away from making the MLS NEXT Pro Cup Final.
It all started on October 1st when a brace from Esmir Bajraktarević and a penalty goal from Marcos Dias withstood two quick Philadelphia Union II goals to give Revs II the 3-2 win and their first playoff victory.
Revs II then faced New York Red Bulls II as goals from Malcolm Fry and Victor Souza made Jack Hall’s 72nd-minute goal a consolation as Revs II secured a 2-1 victory!
We’ll see a change at goalkeeper as Jacob Jackson was pictured boarding the plane with the first team ahead of tomorrow’s MLS match against Nashville. Expect either Nico Campuzano or Max Weinstein to get the nod in goal.
Esmir Bajraktarević will not be with the squad as he’s currently on international duty with the United States U-23s. Jack Panayotou may also miss as the thinly stretched first team may need him.
Columbus Crew 2:
Inaugural and reigning MLS NEXT Pro Cup champions Crew 2 entered the playoffs just a hair below Revs II in the standings as they ended the year with 54 points on a 16-9-3 record with three shootout victories.
Gibran Rayo has stolen the show for Crew 2 as he’s notched 11 goals and five assists over 21 appearances. Noah Fuson and Marco Micaletto have also shined bright as they notched eight goals each on the year.
Crew 2 began their playoffs on October 1st as they hosted Orlando City B. Noah Fuson found the opening goal in the 33rd minute, but Orlando’s Franco Pérez found the equalizer in the 37th. Just as it looked like the game was heading to a shootout, Orlando City B handed Crew 2 a golden opportunity in stoppage time as Juniho committed a foul on Thomas Roberts inside the box to give Crew 2 a penalty. Marco Micaletto stepped to the spot and buried the PK home to give Crew 2 a 2-1 victory.
Columbus Crew 2 faced steep opposition in the Conference Semifinal as they traveled to face Crown Legay, who were undefeated at home. Despite being blown out in the possession department, Crew 2 held their ground and pushed through Crown Legacy as Noah Fuson found the opening goal. Crown Legacy failed to recover as Crew 2 secured a 1-0 win.
Previous Meetings
Saturday will mark the fifth meeting between New England and Columbus. History has no favorite in the bout as both sides hold an even 2-2-0 record against one another.
Their first-ever meeting came back on May 8th, 2022, when Jacen Russell-Rowe, Marco Micaletto, and a brace from Noah Fuson led Crew 2 to secure a dominant 4-0 victory inside Gillette against a debuting Djordje Petrović.
Revs II exacted revenge in their May 25th, 2022, meeting when Jordan Adebayo-Smith and Ben Awashie found the back of the net to give Revs II a 2-0 victory at home.
Their first meeting of 2023 came on April 16th when goals from Isaiah Parente, Marco Micaletto, and Jacen Russell-Rowe gave Crew 2 a 3-0 win inside Historic Crew Stadium.
The most recent meeting between New England and Columbus came on May 25th when Jordan Adebayo-Smith and Ben Awashie again combined two goals to give Revolution II a 2-0 win.