FOXBOROUGH, MA– The New England Revolution (1-0-0, 3 pts.) opened their 2023 Major League Soccer campaign with a 1-0 win on the road against Charlotte FC (0-1-0, 0 pts.) on Saturday night.
The match kicked off at 7:30 p.m. ET at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC to an astonishing crowd of 69,345.
Starting XI versus Charlotte FC on Saturday, February 25th, 2023. Image Courtesy of New England Revolution
The Revolution lined up in a 4-3-3 formation with Đorđe Petrović starting in net with a backline of (left back) DeJuan Jones, (center backs) Dave Romney and Henry Kessler, along with (right back) Brandon Bye. The midfield consisted of (left) Noel Buck and (right) Matt Polster in the 6 and 8 roles respectively with captain Carles Gil in the attacking midfield role. The wings were manned by (left) Dylan Borrero and (right) Damian Rivera and Giacomo Vrioni started as the lone striker.
The match began will early flashes from both teams, but Charlotte started with the first major chance of the night when Charlotte’s #28 Joseph Mora sent a cross from the left flank into the middle of the box to find Ashley Westwood whose left footed effort went just over the bar. Just one minute later, New England’s DeJuan Jones took a touch at the top of the box and his right footed effort was parried away by Charlotte goalkeeper Pablo Sisniega.
Five minutes later, in the 25th minute, Charlotte began a counterattack that led center back Henry Kessler to receive a yellow card for a tactical foul on Karol Swiderski to thwart the on-going attack. Just two minutes later in the 27th minute, the Revolution were breaking on the counter with Dylan Borrero dribbling up the left flank. His flick past Charlotte defender #14 Nathan Byrne led to the player tackling Borrero and led to the player obtaining a yellow card.
The Match entered halftime with New England and Charlotte level at 0-0.
Image Courtesy of New England Revolution
In the 61st minute, a service from 17-year-old Home Grown Player Noel Buck connected with center back Henry Kessler in the box which rattled off of the left post. The ball bounced in the area and was bicycle kick cleared by Charlotte’s #6 Bill Tuiloma and found the head of New England’s Dave Romney, whose header was eventually saved by Sisniega.
In the 63rd minute, Bruce Arena looked toward his bench and made two substitutions. Strikers Justin Rennicks and Bobby Wood entered the match and replaced striker Giacomo Vrioni and winger Damian Rivera.
In the 77th minute, Charlotte relied on their keeper once more as Revolution winger Dylan Borrero’s half volley effort was saved.
Dylan Borrero has skill #NERevs pic.twitter.com/Jf6qvU3yyU
— Seth (@SethMan31) February 26, 2023
The moment of the match was in the 88th minute as a poorly taken Carles Gil corner kick was taken and led to a Charlotte counterattack. The attack was quickly snuffed out by midfielder Noel Buck, whose header found the feet of right back Brandon Bye. His right footed through ball pass to Bobby Wood was blocked by a sliding effort by #6 Bill Tuiloma of Charlotte. The tackle in the box led to center back Henry Kessler in an advanced position to take a right footed shot at the top of the 6-yard box which snuck by Sisniega.
FOR THE WIN IN THE 89' ?
Henry Kessler earned three points for the @NERevolution on the road with this right-footed shot from the right side of the box! pic.twitter.com/3o58OU1kFX
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) February 26, 2023
The goal scored by Kessler is his first of the 2023 campaign and the fourth of his career. Henry has now scored one goal in all four seasons that he has played in Major League Soccer.
Following the goal in the 91st minute, New England goalkeeper Đorđe Petrović had his number called as a Kerwin Vargas header struck the post and the rebound was pushed out by the goalkeeper.
To secure the victory, New England made its final substitution in the 93rd minute, bringing on veteran center back Omar Gonzalez.
The match ended with New England holding on to the 1-0 victory.
Following the match, goalscoring center back Henry Kessler took to social media following the match and said this response in regard to the victory.
I woke up feeling dangerous
— Henry Kessler (@HenryKessler4) February 26, 2023
Image Courtesy of New England Revolution
The 1-0 victory at Charlotte ended the Revolution’s run of nine straight season openers without a victory dating back to 2014. Along with this, a total of eight eastern conference teams won on Saturday, with New England being the only team to do so on the road.
The New England Revolution (1-0-0, 3 pts.) are set to host their first home game of 2023 MLS Season on Saturday, March 4, when the Revolution host Houston Dynamo FC at Gillette Stadium. The match kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app.
New England Revolution
Charlotte FC
