Unlike most of the rest of the world, soccer in America takes place from March to October. In theory, March sounds like an okay time to start a soccer season. In reality, it’s still freezing in places like New England, Minnesota, Columbus, and Chicago. But MLS decreed that the season would start in March, so it started in March. The Revolution began their season under a new head coach after a reasonably successful preseason, which included winning the Mobile Mini Sun Cup (formerly the Desert Diamond Cup, a superior name, albeit one without sponsorship opportunities). Revolution supporters on Twitter were hoping for a tiny cup on wheels; the trophy delivered on the tiny, but lacked any mobility of its own. Following that victory, the Revolution returned to the cold, snow-covered wasteland known as Massachusetts to begin regular season MLS play.
Season opener, March 3, 2018, at Philadelphia Union, 2-0 L
Before the game even started, the drama began when the Revolution’s flight to Philadelphia got cancelled because of weather. Instead of arriving the day before, they arrived the day of the game on one of Robert Kraft’s Patriots planes, cuing the chorus of woe at an owner who doesn’t care enough about his soccer team to spend money on players/staff/facilities/a stadium. Once the game started, the drama continued with a straight red card, a second yellow, and half an hour of nine-man soccer, all to the Revolution’s detriment. The Revolution have had their share of questionable calls away from Gillette, but this one wasn’t on the ref. This one was on the phenomenally stupid decision making by the two center backs to physically pull down their opponents. Among the things you learn in kindergarten: keep your hands to yourself. Put this game in the dumpster fire pile.
Home opener, March 10, 2018, vs. Colorado Rapids, 2-1 W
The question this week was if the back line would hold up since both starting center backs would be serving red card suspensions. It wasn’t pretty at times, but they got the job done. Former third-string keeper Matt Turner made several strong saves, including a penalty; homegrown player Diego Fagundez scored the Revolution’s first goal of the 2018 season; and Chris Tierney, long-time left-footed free kick specialist, saved them from a tie with a 92nd minute free kick goal. Yes, they might have looked like they were celebrating making the playoffs or MLS cup, but this team needs every point they can scrape up.
Bye week, March 17, 2018
During the MLS Superdraft, the Revolution selected Western Michigan’s Brandon Bye. During their very early bye week, they took the opportunity to post daily pictures on social media of Bye with the hashtag #ByeWeek. While other MLS teams work on building stadiums and signing world-class players, the Revolution are busy making terrible puns.
March 24, 2018, vs. NYCFC, 2-2 T
Back at Gillette Stadium, the Revolution looked to see how they would fare against the unbeaten NYCFC. They went up by a goal in the first half while playing some of the best soccer I’ve seen/heard from them in a while, then struggled in the second half to continue controlling the game, eventually conceding the equalizer twice. The result was disappointing, but I don’t feel they ever truly broke down to give NYCFC obvious scoring opportunities. Plus, they didn’t implode after either of NYCFC’s goals, which was an improvement over giving up three-goal leads. See this. Or this.
On the road again, March 31, 2018, at Houston Dynamo, 0-2 W
They might have been helped out by an early red card to the Dynamo, and they honestly looked like they played most of the game 11 v. 11, but they left Houston with three points. The high press looked good on the opening goal and on the red card, then the Revolution were unable to use their man advantage to create anything until Cristian Penilla scored his first MLS goal. But they left Houston with three points, earning their first road win of the season from their second away game, instead of during stoppage time of their last game of the season.
All told, Revolution fans are generally happy enough to have started the season 2-1-1, which actually isn’t that much better than last year’s 1-2-1, but with a new coach, some new players, and no new stadium, it’s an encouraging beginning.
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