Revs II Preview: 7/30 @ Chicago Fire II
Revolution II return to action following a well-deserved bye week!
Clint Peay and New England Revolution II look to extend their winning streak to three games as they return to action Sunday evening. Get caught up on everything you need to know entering Sunday’s contest.
Opponent: Chicago Fire II
Date: Sunday, July 30th
Time: 8:00 PM ET
Broadcast: mlsnextpro.com
Projected Weather: The temperature should not factor into Sunday’s contest as it will stand at 75° come kickoff and slowly drop to the low 70s throughout the match. Wind will also not factor in, as the max wind speed will be nine miles per hour.
New England Revolution II:
Revolution II return to action following a well-deserved bye week, marking their first taste of competitive action since July 12th.
Revs II picked up a dominant 3-1 win over Eastern Conference leaders Crown Legacy FC thanks to a trio of goals from Marcos Dias, Jordan Adebayo-Smith, and Peyton Miller.
Things have been good for Peay’s side in 2023 as they enter Matchday 19 in second place with 38 points on a 10-5-4 record with four shootout victories.
A big part of Revolution II’s success in 2023 has come from the production of newcomer Jordan Adebayo-Smith. Through 18 appearances, Adebayo-Smith has notched a team-leading eight goals and four assists. Figures that have seen the Englishman climb into the top five for all-time goals, assists, and goal contributions.
On the other side of the ball, efforts from a returning Jacob Jackson have also been pivotal to Revolution II’s success. Jackson, who returns following an ACL injury that cut his rookie season early, has notched 42 saves and three clean sheets while only allowing 11 goals over eight appearances in 2023.
Despite the bye week, Peay and the club were not dormant as the club bolstered their attack with the addition of Revolution Academy forward Olger Escobar. The 16-year-old joins Revs II after a phenomenal 2022-2023 campaign with the Revs U17s that saw him notch 15 goals in 17 appearances. An effort that awarded Escobar the MLS NEXT U-17 MVP award.
Escobar will look to build upon the previous six appearances he’s made with Revs II in 2023.
Chicago Fire II:
While Revolution II enjoyed some nice rest and relaxation, Chicago Fire II dropped three points on the road following a 3-2 loss to Orlando City B.
It’s been a rocky season for Ludovic Taillandier and Fire II as they enter Sunday’s match in ninth place in the East with 25 points on an 6-7-6 record with only one shootout victory.
Revolution fans will recognize one name on the other side of the pitch as Andreas Ueland inked a deal with the developmental club back in May. Ueland has appeared in nine contests for Fire II where he’s notched one yellow card and one red card over 644 minutes
Revolution II will have to keep close tabs on Charlie Ostrem, Omari Glasgow, and Billy Hency. Defender Charlie Ostrem leads Chicago Fire II’s Golden Boot race with five goals and two assists over 1,335 minutes. Both Glasgow and Hency have each notched four goals and two assists over 1,260 and 868 minutes, respectively.
Previous Meetings:
Sunday marks the fourth meeting between Chicago and New England. It’s been an even history between both sides as they enter the match with a 1-1-1 record against each other.
Their first meeting came back on June 26th, 2022, where a trio of goals from Pierre Cayet, Ryan Lima, and Michel was not enough to overcome Victor Bezerra’s brace and two additional goals from Alex Monis and Ryan Quintos.
Revolution II got revenge later in the 2022 season as a lone goal from Pierre Cayet gave Revs II a 1-0 win.
Their most recent meeting came on June 11th, 2023, when goals from Jack Panayotou, Jordan Adebayo-Smith, Noeh Hernandez, and Richard Fleming led to a 2-2 draw in regulation. Revolution II secured the additional point as Esmir Bajraktarević’s fifth-round winner gave them a 4-3 shootout victory.