The New England Revolution had a poor performance against the Seattle Sounders in a match dominated by physical play and a playoff atmosphere.
Head referee Tori Penso immediately set the tone as numerous shoves and shoulder checks weren't accompanied by a whistle. The first goal that New England allowed was the result of Luca Langoni and Brooklyn Raines facing physical play – that on some other occasions would have been whistled as a foul – and the latter giving the ball away.
"I actually believe that's something that is really kind of our identity [being prepared for intensity]. Was that preparation from them to be more physical in duels? That's part of the game," Marko Mitrovic said. "I [felt] there is a high level of urgency, actually, from Seattle because they are fighting [with a] survival instinct, and they came here with that. I'm not saying that we didn't get into the game with the same mindset. Our group is, I always say, one very humble and hardworking group. But in this game, things didn't go our way. We just have to move forward.”
The physical play culminated in Carles Gil getting shoved into the ad boards by Cristian Roldan and Langoni taking exception to the play. Penso would take control of the match by brandishing yellow cards to Roldan and Langoni, but the standard had been set. As the match progressed, the physical play was under control, but the intensity remained.
“I think the intensity was there, as you said, and there were a lot of duels," Mitrovic said postgame. "I think that the referee had criteria to let the game go. There is always like criteria, is it a foul or not? When you don't call the fouls, it just opens the game, and there is more intensity present."
New England has been having a great season, but the most recent performances from the club are concerning. The Revs dropped an egg against Real Salt Lake but were shorthanded due to international call-ups. Against Seattle, there were no excuses – unless you want to say that the international call-ups were tired due to the recent run of games and travel.
“They’re a very good team. I think they defended us very well," Gil said. "Sometimes, on the wings, normally I move but they defended that very well. We have to give credit to them. For us, we need to make our level high. It’s our second consecutive game we lose 3-0. We don’t have time [to dwell] because we go to Cincinnati [on Wednesday].”
These last six matches will be a proving ground for the Revs. They will show if the club is ready for the moment when one bad pass or giveaway can end a season.
Teams are fighting for seeding or survival. There is no such thing as an easy three points this deep into the season.
“Every game now there is definitely a high level of urgency for the teams around," Mitrovic said. "At the beginning of the season everybody sees the time ahead, but there is no more time now and I feel that every game from now on will be like a playoff game. I think the last two or three games before the international break, I already felt that teams were on a high level of urgency. I think everybody is now competing to survive and there is no hiding behind that and everything has to match that same intensity and same kind of urgency.”
