New England Revolution
A penalty kick defeat sends New England crashing out of the continental levels of competition.
The Revolution endured a monumental defeat in the 2nd leg of the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal matchup from Pumas UNAM on Wednesday, shedding on penalty kicks just after falling 3- in standard time.
Getting won the first leg at Gillette Stadium 3-, New England essential only to maintain on in the second activity in Mexico City’s Estadio Olímpico Universitario. But two goals from Pumas ahead Juan Ignacio Dinenno on each and every side of halftime and a third from California indigenous Sebastian Saucedo was plenty of to deliver items amount.
With the matchup tied at 3-3, the recreation went straight to penalty kicks. Misses from Revolution players Tommy McNamara and Sebastian Lletget were being the difference, as Dinenno’s final penalty observed the back of the internet to ship Pumas by means of to the semifinals.
In this article are a couple takeaways from a tricky evening for New England:
Revolution weathered the storm in the 1st 50 %, but the pattern was set.
Whilst Pumas did not particularly begin the match like an offensive juggernaut, the hosts did sufficient to retain continuous pressure on the Revolution. The most simple component was Pumas’ means to simply just maintain the ball. The halftime possession stat uncovered this disparity, as New England managed just 34 p.c, according to CONCACAF.
The other important Pumas strongpoint was in generating set-piece alternatives. The Revolution had been set in a in the vicinity of-continuous back foot in the initially 25 minutes especially, defending 6 corner kicks.
Still for a several nervous moments, New England defended reasonably very well in the opening half hour.
It was only a instant of course from Rogerio in the 33rd minute that opened the scoring. Stepping in front of Jon Bell on a close to-publish cross, the Brazilian deftly touched the ball about New England’s center again, making it possible for him to touch a effectively-aimed cross into Dinneno. The Argentine forward redirected the ball into the far corner with his knee, supplying Pumas a essential lifeline.
A 2nd 50 percent collapse.
Irrespective of developing a purpose-scoring likelihood pretty much straight away in the 2nd half, New England speedily settled back into a worrying sample. Not able to keep the ball for prolonged, the Revolution found by themselves defending in their individual 50 percent of the discipline virtually permanently.
With both Henry Kessler and Andrew Farrell out hurt, the Revolution had to count on backup centre backs Omar Gonzalez and Jon Bell. Each and every carried out admirably, but was also at fault on Dinneno’s plans.
A person repeated Pumas tactic — switching the ball from reverse flanks — last but not least paid off on Saucedo’s aim. A lofted cross cleared New England suitable again Brandon Bye, and the 25-yr-old Pumas winger was equipped to lower inside of and finish the ball into the roof of the net.
In a scramble for a late objective, which even now could have gained the night for New England, Revolution gamers fell collectively small. Even a stage-blank header from Gonzalez was saved on the target-line by Pumas goalkeeper Alfredo Talavera.
Accidents took a toll.
In seeing the 3 Pumas plans on Wednesday evening, it was apparent that a plethora of early-season injuries experienced an influence on the result for the Revolution.
The absence of equally starting off heart backs hampered New England’s potential to defend and keep arranged (a significantly critical process supplied the situations at higher altitude in Mexico Town).
And although both outside the house backs — Bye and DeJuan Jones — every played nicely, they were identified as upon way too normally in defensive obligations, and were being unable to be part of the attack as a lot as regular.
Goalkeeper Matt Turner has also remained sidelined with harm, indicating that backup Earl Edwards Jr. begun once again. Though Edwards has played admirably in the interim (and saved a penalty kick during the shootout), he’s not at Turner’s stage.
New England now turns its attention to a matchup versus Charlotte FC prior to the global break this weekend. The Revolution kickoff on Saturday at 7 p.m.
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