New England Revolution II pick up two points for the second time in as many games as they played to a scoreless draw and secured a 7-6 shootout victory over Toronto FC II at Beirne Stadium.
Following the match, The Blazing Musket chatted with first-year head coach Pablo Moreira about how the team has performed thus far and how Revs II has played a vital role in vertical integration in New England. Moreira says he’s been happy with the performances thus far and highlighted his team’s ability to stay strong and get the job done during shootouts. And while it’s not a new idea for Revolution II, vertical integration amongst the academy, Revs II, and the first team has seen a rejuvenation under Marko Mitrović and Moreira, and it’s something the Revs II credits the organization as a whole for.
“People talk about vertical integration within clubs, and sometimes it's a little tongue in cheek, but here it's not," Moreira said. "I think we're vertically integrated from the academy. I think Rob (Becerra) and Curt (Onalfo) have done an excellent job in building the academy and getting guys prepped.”
He also highlighted how the integration has impacted him through the first two games.
“Our whole bench was academy. We had an academy player starting, and then we had one guy coming off the bench. So that just shows the vertical integration from ground (up). I had four or five guys that I don't really train with much this week because they're good enough to be on the first team in terms of training.”
As a whole, Moreira expressed his love for the vertical integration happening at the club and highlighted how everyone at the organization really pulls for one another as they progress up the ladder.
“I just love it," he said. "I think we are all pulling for each other. We all enjoy working with one another, and we're trying to do it in the most efficient way that obviously helps the club, and the team and players first.”
