December Soccer

Sunday, November 29 at Orlando City SC – 3-1 W – After facing old friends in the first two rounds, the Revolution encountered Orlando for the first time in 2020. While it was freezing back in New England, it was a steamy 80 in Florida, as evidenced by the shirtless fans in attendance. If you’re going to have fans in the middle of a pandemic while thousands are getting sick, hospitalizations are rising, the medical system is being strained, and people are dying, at the very least keep them spread out and masked. But no, every time the broadcast cut to fans there was at least one fully unmasked person and one or two more with noses sticking out, plus people crowding together, and lots of yelling. Not cool, Orlando. Also not a good look – the amount of whining that Orlando did, which will come into play later. Similarly to the Union game, the Revolution scored two early goals, the first a 17th minute penalty kick that Tajon Buchanan earned and Carles Gil converted. The second goal came in minute 25 and started with Buchanan winning the ball off Orlando DP Nani. Gil took the ball down the field, slowed down outside the box just enough to give Buchanan time to make a run on the right, and handed the ball off to Buchanan, who put the ball into the box. Adam Buksa’s sliding shot came off the post (again), and Gustavo Bou picked up the rebound to put New England up two goals. Orlando got a goal back off an awful miscommunication between Henry Kessler and Matt Turner. Then, fifteen minutes into the second half, an Orlando player made a flying, studs-up tackle into Matt Polster’s calf. One hundred percent a red card, but the Orlando players lose their minds and swarm the ref, earning Nani a yellow card for dissent (which should probably have been given, like, yesterday for the amount of screaming at and touching of the ref he’d already done) and Orlando their third mass confrontation fine of the season. Now the Revolution just have to see the game out, which is easier said than done when you’re the Revolution. In the 74th minute, they give up a penalty, and none other than Nani steps up to the spot . . . but Turner saves his shot. To close out the night, Buksa, Gil, and Bou combine to get Bou his second goal of the night in the 86th minute, which is enough to end Orlando’s hopes of a comeback.

Sunday, December 6 at Columbus Crew – 0-1 L – The Revolution made it far enough into the playoffs to be playing in December. [Side note – fans were present, but the spacing looked much better than at the Orlando game. No camera closeups of the stands, maybe to avoid showing things they wouldn’t want to reveal to those watching, but the general atmosphere at least felt like they were acknowledging that the pandemic exists.] Unfortunately, this was not their day. They couldn’t maintain possession in the middle of the field and their counterattack wasn’t sharp enough to get much going. Bruce Arena had been playing Matt Polster and Scott Caldwell in the middle of the midfield, and they’d been good, but they had too much to do in Columbus with the amount of possession the team was conceding. The Crew got their goal in the middle of the second half from a nicely placed cross, layoff, and shot into the bottom corner of Turner’s goal. Around that time, there was a missed pass between Gil and Bou that felt like a decent representation of the game. Following three solid games, it felt like players were half a step off from each other. They pushed for an equalizer that would get them to extra time, but there would be no goal for them this day. Thus ended their very weird 2020 season.

Final thoughts on the season: Matt Turner was the most consistent player all season. I’m not going to argue he should be the USMNT’s starting goalkeeper, but he deserves a callup and probably a cap.

Henry Kessler was robbed of the Rookie of the Year award. Okay, there was another player who probably would have won, but he had a legitimate case. However, with three games left in the season, MLS changed it to the Young Player of the Year award so they could give it to someone else. As a defender, he’s not going to get as much attention as a forward scoring goals, but he had a really good rookie season.

Tajon Buchanan is the most improved/breakout player of the year for the team. He didn’t suddenly start putting up crazy numbers of goals and assists, but he did get his first professional goal(s), and looks dangerous on the right side of the field.

Having Carles Gil on the field for the Revolution makes the entire team play better. That’s it. That’s the thought.

Turns out paying for designated players works. In their playoff run, Gil had two goals and three assists, Bou had three goals and an assist, and Buksa only had one goal, but had shots go off the post in (I think) every game and he looks much better with Gil controlling the ball in the midfield and providing service into the box.

And finally, honestly, even just the Philadelphia win would have been a decent end to the season, but they made it a game farther to the Eastern Conference Final. With the unpredictability of the playoffs, a conference final isn’t a bad way to go out. There’s a little bit of wondering what if – what if they made it to MLS cup? what if this was their year? – but ultimately, in a year of stops and starts, empty stadiums, bizarre schedules, bubbles, travel restrictions, and unprecedented times, they delivered some special moments. Long live the crayon flag.