Revolution II vs Red Bulls II: Three Thoughts
Three thoughts following Revolution II's recent win over the Eastern Conference front-runners!
New England Revolution II got back into the win column on Friday when they picked up a 4-2 victory at home over Eastern Conference front-runners New York Red Bulls II.
Here are three thoughts.
1 - Brought The Fight
Something that has plagued Revs II at times has been their ability to see games out.
After scoring the opener 16 minutes in, New York Red Bulls II clawed their way back into the game in the 32nd minute following a penalty kick that saw the game draw level.
Despite adding goals in the 44th and 53rd minutes, Red Bulls II again clawed their way back into the game with a goal of their own to shrink the deficit to one in the 57th minute.
Thankfully, Revs II slammed the door shut with Gevork Diarbian's 79th-minute strike. After lapses cost Revs II four points in the last two outings, it was refreshing to see them bounce back last Friday and hold strong to secure all three points. Let's hope that trend continues in their final eight regular-season games.
2 - Monstrous Mishaps
At the end of the day, a win is a win, but seeing how Revs II conceded on Friday was a bit disappointing.
The 32nd minute saw Red Bulls II get their first chance when Keegan Hughes stepped in and made contact with Dylan Sullivan inside the box.
Looking back at the replay, I feel like Hughes' challenge was unnecessary at that moment. Sullivan has his back to the goal, an awkward touch has him lose possession, and Victor Souza was right there to intervene if necessary.
Alas, Ibrahim Kasule steps to the spot and buries the penalty to level the game.
We see another mistake on Red Bulls II’s second goal. After New York worked the ball up to Curtis Ofori, Ofori stood tall to Allan Oyirwoth’s pressure, evaded the Revs II defense, and tapped the ball into a pocket of space inside the box. Gabe Dahlin slides in and attempts to clear it, but not in time as Malick Dembele slotted it home to reduce the deficit to one.
While Revs II shored things up with a fourth goal, it’s disappointing to know points could have been dropped from simple mistakes like the ones experienced on Friday.
I have full confidence in the Revs II attack to amend some of these mistakes, but it would be a lot easier for them if they could avoid making silly mistakes that lead to their opponents generating scoring chances.
3 - Youth Movement
Recent Revolution II games have seen Richie Williams utilize several young first-team players.
Throughout 2025, names like Malcolm Fry, Eric Klein, Damario McIntosh, Allan Oyirwoth, and Donovan Parisian have had extended runs of play with Revolution II.
Malcolm Fry, in particular, has had a decent run since returning from injury. The Homegrown has four goals and two assists in nine appearances this year.
Klein, McIntosh, Oyirwoth, and Parisian have done a tremendous job in providing defense for Revs II this year, which ranks amongst the top in fewest goals conceded, fewest fouls committed, and most clean sheets.
With the Revolution’s playoff hopes looking incredibly bleak, I hope we see these young prospects get extended runs with the first team if/when the Revolution become mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.