Photo Courtesy of MLS
The New England Revolution has had its fair share of highs and lows over the most recent seasons. From Supporter Shield Winners in 2021 to missing out on the playoffs in 2022 the Revs have seen the highs and lows of Major League Soccer (MLS). Head coach Bruce Arena will look to lead the Revs into the playoffs this year starting with a fantastic 3-1 record a month into the season that has the team sitting at second place in the eastern conference standings.
The team started the season with two wins, winning 1-0 in the season opener down in Charlotte, then came back up to Gillette to face the Dynamo, where they secured a 3-0 win. With two wins, many fans felt the team was set up for success heading into their third game. The game was in LA against the defending MLS champs LAFC. Any chance the Revs had of stealing an away victory was quickly crushed, as LAFC grabbed an early lead and never looked back to win 4-0. The Revolution returned to Foxboro, where they made up for the loss with an impressive 1-0 win over Nashville SC.
After the loss against LAFC, many fans felt the Revs would be unable to rebound. LAFC is a perennial favorite to win the Cup, while Charlotte and Houston are not predicted to make the playoffs by many pundits. The loss to LAFC may have been hard to watch, but it could be an anomaly this year. Beating Nashville, another top-level in MLS has settled many fans’ worries.
Nashville came into Gillette with an undefeated record of two wins and one tie. It’s also worth noting that Nashville hadn’t allowed a goal in any of those games. Being able to grind out a 1-0 win behind a brilliant Gustavo Bou goal against one of if not the best defenses in the league is something the 2022 Revs would have failed to do.
There seems to be a new spring on the horizon for the New England Revolution. Right now, the Revs sit at second in the Eastern Conference tomorrow MLS Cup contenders. While it’s still early, the Revs have already outperformed expectations, and a trip to the playoffs is looming.