Usseglio: Believe
Revolution earn statement win in North Carolina
Night and day. Literally night and day.
The New England Revolution traveled down to North Carolina last season to take on Charlotte FC on a late September afternoon. If you blocked out your memories of that game, let me remind you how it went. They got destroyed, losing 4-0 with one of the poorest performances by a Revolution side that I can remember.
I was distraught after the game. It was not just that the players were poor; they gave up. They stopped trying. It was an embarrassment.
I wrote after the game that Caleb Porter needed to go. Enough was enough. The team had not performed all season and now they were not even trying.
Flash forward to Saturday night, where the 2025 New England Revolution took the field at Bank of America Stadium to play one of the top teams in the league. A team that had not lost a game at home. A defensively strong team with an attacking trident of Wilfried Zaha, Patrick Agyemang, and Liel Abada.
It was going to be a tall task for the Revs to get a result in Charlotte, but they were coming into the game with momentum. Winners of their last two matches, both clean sheets, Caleb Porter believed his team had a fighting chance.
What a performance. The Revs hustled, clawed, scraped, and fought their way to a 1-0 victory in North Carolina. It was a statement win, knocking off the team atop the Eastern Conference.
The Revolution demonstrated a fighting spirit that has been absent since Bruce Arena left the building. They dug in defensively and limited Charlotte’s chances.
Did they get some luck? Absolutely.
Charlotte missed a couple of key opportunities that would have seen them tie the game. The Revs attacking players were stifled for the most part, though there were bright moments from Ignatius Ganago, Peyton Miller, Ilay Feingold, and Carles Gil.
What Gil is doing is remarkable. He is box office, as Charlie Davies said. MVP caliber. In his bag.
It is a privilege watching him play for the Revolution. His goal, whether it was a shot or a cross, led the Revs to victory. Yet again, he put the team on his back and created a moment of magic.
What a player. What a Captain.
He has stepped up this season, refusing to let last year repeat itself. He now has a group of players around him that defend as a team and scrap out results in games with close margins.
It has been a tough couple of years for Revolution fans. Understandably, some fans are still wary. Doubtful that what we are watching is real or that it will last. Upset that homegrown players like Noel Buck and Jack Panayotou had to find playing time elsewhere. People want to root for the hometown kids and see the academy players get their shot in the first team. I completely understand why they are frustrated about those players falling out of favor.
I also know that not everyone agrees with Porter’s style of play. Goal-scoring opportunities have been scarce. We have yet to see the floodgates open and the attacking players showcase their full might.
All of that is true. All of that is fair criticism.
And yet, I find myself believing in this team. There is something about the way the players fight for each other that makes me believe.
I do not know what their ceiling can be. There is still a long way to go, but I think the Revs will keep their momentum going next weekend in Toronto. I think they are back in the hunt.
I have to agree with you. I believe, even if it’s foolish to do so. This team looks like they can achieve whatever they put their mind to and Carles Gil is a maestro. It’s such a pleasure to have been able to watch him play in person so many times and see him kick things up a notch this year.
Last year’s team NEEDED to be gutted and start anew. They seem happy, more confident than they’ve been in a while, and fight for each other like a real team. It helps that our new center backs appear to be really good, too.
I know we probably won’t win every game going forward, but I do believe that we’re prepped for a lot of fun games this year. It’s gonna be a fun year to be a Revs fan.