Photo/Kari Heistad
The Revolution defeated the New York Red Bulls 1-0 at Gillette Stadium on Friday evening to collect their first three points of the season.
Here are three thoughts on that.
Revolution were right to keep playing once Kemar Lawrence went down
New York Red Bulls coach Jesse Marsch can say the Revolution don’t have honor all he wants, but in soccer you play to the whistle.
Remember when Matt Reis went down in the 2013 playoffs in Kansas City and Graham Zusi continued his run and shot on an open net? Reis wasn’t faking; he had just sustained the injury that would end his career. But Zusi went forward anyway, as he should.
Revolution coach Jay Heaps put it best when – and I’m summarizing here – he said that play continues until a whistle is blown and that a player in scoring position needs to keep a play alive.
Even Diego Fagundez and Juan Agudelo seemed willing to empathize with the Red Bulls’ frustrations. But here’s something else: neither of them truly grasped what was going on. They finished the play, end of story.
Fagundez even stopped me on his way out of Gillette Stadium to ask me what I saw on the play. He admitted that he was focused on scoring and never once looked behind him.
Fagundez opens floodgates in run of play
Fagundez’s goal was the Revolutions’ first in the run of play since the team’s season-opening 3-3 draw with Houston. snapping a 325-minute scoreless streak in terms of goals not scored off of set pieces.
Here’s something cool: Fagundez has been involved in all four of the Revolution’s run of play goals. That he is currently his team’s leading scorer is just a bonus – and it’s no accident, either.
Fagundez’s movement has been spot on so far this season, and Jay Heaps offered a glowing account of it during his post-match presser.
Shuttleworth and his back line shine
The Revolution are unbeaten at home and have also yet to concede a goal at home.
Credit Bobby Shuttleworth for that. He came up with a huge save from point-blank range on Bradley Wright-Phillips – one of the top scorers in the league – with just minutes left to play.
Shuttleworth has shown beyond this game against New York that he’s on a mission this season. Look no further than the two penalties he saved against Philadelphia. Where he loses his way, oftentimes, is on communicating with his back line.
Fortunately, he’s had the benefit of a very in-form Jose Goncalves. The onus is on both men to tighten up and stay hard to beat both at home and on the road.
If you want to reach Julian, email him at julianccardillo@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @juliancardillo
