Photo/Kari Heistad
Foxborough, Mass. – Ordinarily, a win would be a happy occasion for the New England Revolution.
But Sunday afternoon’s 3-0 victory against the Montreal Impact in front of 39,587 only confirmed the inevitable: that the Revolution would be missing out on the 2016 MLS Playoffs.
Despite finishing the season tied for the Eastern Conference’s sixth and final post-season berth with the Philadelphia Union – who also lost on Sunday at home to the New York Red Bulls – the Revolution have been kept out of the playoffs on goal differential
“Finished strong this year…built a hole to big this season, not getting points when we should have,” said Revolution coach Jay Heaps. “It was a great night for the fans, excited that our guys – we stayed focus. We stayed positive.”
Much of the blame for missing out on the Revolution missing the post-season this year falls on their back line, which conceded 54 goals this season, the fourth-most in the conference. But on Sunday, the Revs’ four-man back line was in rare form, notching the team’s first clean sheet since a 2-0 win against the Colorado Rapids on September 3.
Cody Cropper, whom the Revolution acquired in mid-August, made his first start, making two saves.
“I accomplished what I wanted, and that was keeping a clean sheet,” Cropper said. “A lot of what I had to do in the first half was with my feet, kind of trying to stay mentally tuned in. I went into the second half knowing, ‘I have to make a save here.’”
The Revolution’s attack took care of the rest. Aligned in a hybrid, 4-4-2 diamond, New England went at the Impact with free-flowing passes and high pressure out of midfield.
Diego Fagundez helped the Revolution find their footing early. He drew a foul from Wandrille LeFevre on the edge of the penalty area in the 12th minute; Fagundez then bashed the ensuing freekick in off the far post past an outstretched Evan Bush.
Lee Nguyen and Fagundez combined in the 17th minute to send Juan Agudelo clean through on goal, but Bush managed to parry away Agudelo’s volley at goal.
In the 20th minute, Gershon Koffie hit a miscleared cross from distance right at goal, Bush dropping low to make a block. But Kei Kamara emerged unmarked in the heart of the box, his volley coming off the underside of the crossbar and bouncing out.
The match turned into the Cody Cropper show inside the first 10 minutes of the second half.
David Choiniere laced a shot from the top of the box following a 48th minute corner kick, Cropper blocking the line drive. In the 56th minute, Anthony Jackson-Hamel connected with a cross by Donny Toia, Cropper sprawling to his right to knock the ball clear.
“He’s been training really well,” said Heaps. “Excited to give him his first taste of MLS and on a big stage like tonight, a lot of fans. He did a good job. First was a little feeling it all out, when he should come, when he should not come. Second half he was a different player, he found himself. That’s why you play a guy like that in this moment, to give him that kind of experience.”
The Revolution re-asserted themselves in the ensuing moments. Agudelo took possession from Scott Caldwell in midfield, then ran toward goal before unleashing a left-footed drive that flew into the net past Bush to make it 2-0.
Agudelo scored seven goals in 2016 and was on the score sheet in five of his last seven games.
“The things I was thinking the whole game is ‘wow, we’re such a good team, we could have gone so far,’” Agudelo said. “It’s very disappointing it all has come to an end. We should how good we are. I love this group of guys and everyone worked hard today, but it is disappointing how little slips in the season could have made us go really far.”
In the 71st minute, the Revolution made it 3-0. Nguyen started the play on the left flank and then played the ball into the box for Fagundez, who quickly dished the ball wide to Kamara. Kamara then slotted the shot first-time inside the far corner.
The Revolution may have broken a team record for most shots in one game to come off the woodwork. In addition to Kamara’s two bids in the first half, Scott Caldwell hit the crossbar with a header off a Fagundez cross in the 79th minute, while Agudelo hit the left post off a blast in the 83rd minute.
Those near-misses were statistically significant, particularly with a goal differential to make up on Philadelphia. Then again, the Revolution also concluded the 2016 season by hitting the post 24 times, the most of any team in the league.
“It’s pretty crazy how many goals we could have potentially gotten this season if we didn’t hit the woodwork,” Agudelo added. “Hopefully next year they make the post a little thinner.”
Follow Julian on Twitter @juliancardillo
