Sunday was another mixed outing for New England Revolution II. Despite Jared Smith finding his first goal since returning from injury in the 29th minute, everything unraveled in the 89th minute when Jamil Danjaji leapt into the air and headed home a Columbus corner kick to seal a 1-1 draw.
Despite the heartbreaking ending, New England salvaged the day with a dominant showing in the shootout, walking away with the extra point after a 5-3 win.
Here are three thoughts.
1 - Do or Die
New England Revolution II entered the match with destiny in their own hands as a win over Columbus would have secured them a spot in the playoffs. That wasn’t the case as the draw squashed that possibility.
To put it in better context, Revolution II are one of seven Eastern Conference teams entering Decision Day looking to secure the three remaining automatic playoff spots or a spot in the play-in round. To make things even more hectic, only four points separate 11th-placed Huntsville and fifth-placed Atlanta United 2.
With 45 points, Revolution II enter Decision Day in seventh place, the final automatic qualification spot. A win over Toronto FC II would secure them automatic qualification and could see them rise as high as third depending on how the rest of the day unfolds.
Revs II are only three points ahead of 10th-placed Philadelphia Union II. It would take a lot, but a New England loss and other results could see Revs II end up in 10th, squashing its playoff hopes.
Considering New England’s run of form at the beginning of the season, it’s disappointing that we’re even talking about the possibility that the club misses out on the playoffs on Decision Day.
Let’s hope Sunday is the day Revolution II can put things back together enough for a top-seven finish to seal the club’s second consecutive playoff appearance.
2 - Frustrating Fumbles
Something that has hindered Revolution II lately is their ability to close out games.
We saw it firsthand against Columbus. Jared Smith’s 29th-minute goal had Revs II rolling with a 1-0 lead. With a minute to go in regulation, disaster struck when the club allowed Jamil Danjaji to leap up and send a close-range header into the back of the net, sealing he draw and forcing New England into a nerve-racking Decision Day contest.
Unfortunately, it’s not the first time Revs II have conceded late in games, and it’s led to the club dropping a handful of points. New England has conceded eight goals in the final 10 minutes of a match this season, something that has cost them a staggering 12 points.
Entering Decision Day with the possibility of missing the playoffs, I bet New England Revolution II regrets not closing out a few of those matches to avoid their current situation.
Let’s hope New England has learned its lesson and enters Sunday’s Decision Day contest locked in and ready for a full 90-plus minutes of action. If not, it could come back to bite them in the worst way imaginable.
3 - Reinforcements Reappear
While there are several negatives heading into Decision Day, it’s not all doom and gloom as several key names have returned to action.
Defender Jared Smith capped his second appearance back from injury with his second goal of the season. Sunday’s result against Columbus also saw forward Jayden Da and defender Chris Mbai-Assem return to action. It marked Da’s first appearance since July 5th and Mbai-Assem’s first since July 26.
Considering the dire situation the club finds itself in, having everyone available will only benefit the club. Let’s hope the influx of health helps New England do enough to secure a playoff spot on Sunday.
