Club America, the reigning champion and current leaders of Mexico-based power conference LIGA MX, controlled all three areas of the pitch in a 4-0 victory over the Revolution in the opening match of a home and home Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal series.

Club America’s two goals in the opening 24 minutes were one more than the Revolution (3-1-1) gave up in their four previous Champions Cup games.

The second leg of the home and home series will be played on April 9 at Estadio Azteca in the high altitude of Mexico City. Club America has won the Champions Cup seven times while the Revolution have never advanced beyond the quarterfinals.

The Revolution are in last place in the MLS Eastern Conference at 0-4-1 and they resume league play the end of a three-game homestand against Charlotte FC on Saturday night (7:30) at Gillette.

After playing an arduous stretch of eight games in 26 days, the Revolution entered their bye week after a 1-1 draw with Chicago Fire FC on March 23. Porter put a rested and potent Starting XI on the pitch for Club America with one big exception. Porter started Earl Edwards Jr. in goal in place of Henrich Ravas, who had three clean sheets in the four Concacaf games he started.

Ravas returned to the team after missing the Chicago Fire FC match to honor his FIFA international commitment to Slovakia. The other returnees from international duty were homegrown midfielders Esmir Bajraktarevic (U.S.) and Noel Buck (England), both of who were left off the starting lineup.

Porter also made an interesting adjustment on the back line by starting three center backs, Dave Romney, Henry Kessler and Jonathan Mensah, flanked by outside backs DeJuan Jones and Ryan Spaulding.

Giacomo Vrioni was the striker with Tomas Chancalay, who leads the club with four goals and 10 shots in Champions Cup play, at attacking forward on the left side and Nacho Gil on the right.

Club America made several deep probes in the early going and eventually broke down the Revolution’s beefed up back line in the 16th minute. Midfielder Alvaro Fidalgo caused a turnover in the Revolution end and got the ball to Club America captain Henry Martin on the scoring area.

Martin side kicked the ball across the box to forward Javairo Dilrosun and broke for the net on a give and go. Dilrosun got the ball back to Martin who pivoted in the middle of the box and kicked it by Edwards.

Martin was the playmaker in Club America’s second tally in the 24th minute. Martin made a precision pass between two Revolution defenders and connected with forward Alejandro Zendejas on a dead run down the right side of the box. Zendejas made a cut towards the cage and let fly a liner that beat Edwards to the far post.

Club America went up 3-0 when defender Cristian Calderon chipped home the rebound at the business end of a free kick in the 64th minute.

The spirited Club Amerca supporters located in the south end zone released a blinding smoke screen in the 87th minute that covered the pitch in a yellow haze. Club America midfielder Brian Rodriguez closed out the scoring in stoppage time.

The Revolution breezed through the opening two rounds, going 3-0-1 and outscoring their two opponents 9-1. The Revolution registered clean sheets in their aggregate 4-0 home-and-home series sweep of Panamanian entrant CA Independiente in the first round. The Revolution exited the Round of 16 with an aggregate score of 5-1 against Costa Rica power LD Alajuelense.

The Revolution’s Concacaf comfort zone will get a lot less cozy on Tuesday night (9) when they host reigning LIGA MX champion Club America in leg one of their home-and-home quarterfinal series at Gillette Stadium. The second leg will be played on April 9 at Estadio Azteca in the high altitude of Mexico City.

“Playing Club America will arguably be the best (team) we’ve played all season,” said Revolution coach Caleb Porter. “It is one of the most talented teams you are ever going to see in this continent.

“They are a true positional play team. A team that dominates games with the ball, presses very high up and is extremely aggressive with and without the ball. So, that is a huge task for us.”

The Revolution’s success in Champions Cup play has not carried over into the start of the MLS regular season, where they went 0-4-1 and are mired in last place in the Eastern Conference. The Revolution closed out an arduous stretch of eight games in 26 days with a 1-1 draw with Chicago Fire FC on March 23 at Gillette Stadium.

Porter has used the ensuing bye week to rest his players and work on ways to improve the Revolution’s MLS standing. The Revolution close out a three-game MLS homestand against Charlotte FC on Saturday night (7:30) at The Razor.

“It’s been nice to have training and a little break too,” said Porter. “What we went through with eight games in (26) days was a gauntlet, very difficult and you could see guys were chewed up mentally and physically.

“I think that has been a big part of the issue in the league, we have not been fresh and not had time to prepare. We have put a lot into the Concacaf Champions Cup as well and at times in the league when you have so many games and it’s early.

“We’ve managed the Champions Cup well but not the league so it was nice to have a couple of weeks to reset, recharge and prepare. The long-term vision will not change but the short-term vision might be based on knowing our group now after three months.”

The Revolution’s roster got deeper for these next two crucial home games with the return of three keys players who missed the Chicago match while honoring their respective nation’s international commitments.  The returnees are homegrown midfielders Esmir Bajraktarevic (U.S.) and Noel Buck (England) and goalkeeper Henrich Ravas (Slovakia).

“Obviously we have players go and play for their countries and it is good experience for them and there is growth that comes from that, especially with the young guys like Esmir,” said Porter. “It’s an opportunity to go and get games and gain confidence and I always feel like it’s a good thing.

“But it is also nice to have extra bodies and simply put, the more players we have available the better. In the last game we didn’t have much on the bench for what we could do to change the game and give ourselves a push. That push would have certainly helped at 1-1 to win the game.”

Revolution midfielder and team captain Carles Gil, the 2021 league MVP, is one of the premier playmakers in MLS and he makes the players around him compete harder. Gil understands the need to have the full complement of players available to get the Revolution going in the right direction in both Concacaf and MLS matches.

“It is important to have everyone back in training and ready because this is a difficult part of the season with many games,” said Gil. “So, we need everyone ready to play because we are playing every three days and it is important to have has many players ready.”

But Boston remains in a sour mood when it comes to its pro sports teams.

The UConn bandwagon just doesn’t cut it. Connecticut might as well be in Kansas.

The Huskies are the betting favorite to repeat as the last team standing at The Big Dance. More joy in store in Storrs?

Meanwhile, Boston remains dogged by pessimism, cynicism and defeatism.

Sure, it’s embedded in the region’s DNA. But Boston hasn’t felt this sort of vibe in 30 years. The 1990s have returned to Fenway, Foxboro and TD Garden.

Woof.

The heady days of counting parades in your child’s lifespan now sit alongside Paul Revere in the Bay State history books.

These Patriots have their own rallying cry: “One if by land. Two if by sea. Fourth in the AFC East.”

Kraft created “The Dynasty” – © Kraft Dynasty LLC – hoping it would be his Pro Football Hall of Fame Infomercial. It’s become the NFL’s version of “New Coke.”

Kraft was outraged, outraged, over the hit job “The Dynasty” – © Kraft Dynasty LLC – pulled on Bill Belichick. Kraft miraculously turned Belichick into a sympathetic character.

“I feel so privileged that we had Bill here. We hope when he’s finished that we’re going to have a chance to honor him the way we will do with Tom Brady this year,” Kraft said at the NFL’s owner meeting in Orlando on Tuesday. “I look forward to the privilege of putting Bill into the Patriots Hall of Fame one day in the future.”

Kraft apologized the negative tilt toward his team but added that he had no say in what appeared on screen. Kraft said he enjoyed the first three episodes of “The Dynasty” – © Kraft Dynasty LLC.

Wonder why?

No one bothered to ask the team owner why “The Dynasty” – © Kraft Dynasty LLC – omitted Kraft’s dalliance with Hartford before Gillette Stadium was built. That was the first of many glairing omissions we noted here last month after episodes 1 and 2.

Kraft’s charm offensive Tuesday packed all the punch of the Mac Jones-led offense. He went full “Joliet” Jake Blues blaming everything and everyone but himself for his team’s woes.

The Old Kraft Magic has since gone the way of AFC East Division champion T-shirts and 35-point home playoff victories. He’s now just plain old. A NFLPA survey ranked the Patriots 29th of 32 NFL teams. The Patriots scored an F- when it came to “Treatment of Families.”

“I was unaware of how bad that was,” Kraft said. He said the team is “committing” to a modern facility “in excess of $50 million.”

“Players are the heart and soul of the business. I’d be very surprised if that didn’t improve,” he said.

Yet the mastermind of “The Dynasty” had no idea how poorly those players and their families were treated. Kraft cited Calvin Ridley’s “girlfriend” as the chief reason in the team’s failure in signing the top wideout in free agency. Ridley may or may not have married Dominque Fitchard in 2020. They have two children together.

You see, it’s never the money. Except when Kraft & Son are cutting the checks. And mixing wives and girlfriends never helps when it comes to the NFLPA player assessment of “Treatment of Families.”

The good news for Kraft is that in a few years he’ll be old enough to run for the White House.

On another depressing note, it’s Opening Day for the Boston Red Sox. John Henry remains MIA when it comes to his baseball team. He was last seen in public at The Players Championship.

Raffy Devers and the Men of Mystery begin their 2024 MLB season Thursday night in Seattle. Defense of the AL East last-place crown commences at 10:10 p.m. on NESN. The Red Sox are being choked by a pandemic of apathy.

“Ennui and Tedium” have replaced “Aura and Destiny” as the Red Sox nemesis of choice.
Opening Day at Fenway is April 9. Plenty of good rows remain available.

The “buzzz” – emphasis on “zzz” – is that this team will somehow overperform and break the .500 barrier. An improvement in fielding and hitting will make games more palatable for viewers, allegedly. The pitching? Check back on Memorial Day.

The Red Sox were unable to pull the trigger on Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery. One or both could have shored up their rotation post-Lucas Giolito injury. That’s all the tell you need the Red Sox are in race to meet Fenway Sports Group’s bottom line. Even if it lands them in the bottom of the standings for the fourth time in five years.

It’s not just the last-place Patriots and Red Sox that have left fans feeling sour despite the arrival of the Sweet 16 in Boston.

The regular-season success of the Celtics and Bruins has done little to ease the playoff dread set to return next month.

The Celtics remain “vulnerable.” Kendrick Perkins’ description, not mine. It’s easy to see why. They lack the will and ability to finish off opponents – while continuing to fizzle at crunch time. The Celtics have shown nothing to counter the fear that they will get star-struck in May or June and allow themselves to get pushed around right out of the postseason.

Bruins fans have been reduced to praying their team does not win the Presidents Trophy and the all-but-certain playoff doom that it carries. The team’s shortcomings have been stuck in a time capsule. Unbalanced scoring. Lack of size and depth on defense.

Concerns that the coach will choke under the playoff spotlight. Little has changed little since last year’s first-round exit against Florida. Both the Celtics and Bruins could have home court/ice throughout the postseason.

Making that inevitable Game 7 calamity all the more painful.

And there’s nothing sweet about that.

Bill Speros (@RealOBF and @BillSperos on X) can be reached at bsperos1@gmail.com.

The Revolution (0-4-1) picked up their first point of the campaign under first-year head coach Caleb Porter in a 1-1 draw with Chicago Fire FC (1-2-2) on a cold and soggy Saturday afternoon at Gillette Stadium.

“I think it’s is a step forward but it is not the big step we wanted,” said Porter. “We are at home and we wanted to win, we played to win and we are not satisfied with a draw.”

The Revolution enter their MLS bye week and will close out their three-game homestand against Charlotte FC on April 6. The Revolution will resume Concacaf Champions Cup play against reigning LIGA MX champion Club America in leg one of their home-and-home quarterfinal series April 2 at Gillette. Leg two will be played April 9 at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

“I thought there was a pop in our guys that was missing and the last month has been rigorous,” said Porter. “I think it is important for these guys to refresh and we will give them a few days off.”

Due to a raid on his roster, Porter was compelled to make significant changes to his Starting XI from the crew that fell 2-1 to reigning Supporters Shield winners FC Cincinnati at Gillette last Sunday.

The Revolution were minus three significant players, homegrown midfielders Esmir Bajraktarevic (U.S.) and Noel Buck (England), and goalkeeper Henrich Ravas (Slovakia), who are away honoring their FIFA international obligations.

Veteran keeper Earl Edwards Jr. started in goal against the Fire while Nacho Gil assumed Bajraktarevic’s slot as attacking midfielder. Matt Polster, a steady two-way midfielder, was back in the starting group after missing the FC Cincinnati match with a sore hamstring.

“I thought he (Edwards) did well and I thought he gave us confidence with his feet, with his kicking and just in general,” said Porter.

The Revolution’s possession game began to take hold in the 11th minute but failed to penetrate the Fire’s back line. The Fire countered with a transition strategy that was contained outside the scoring area.

The Fire broke the scoreless deadlock with a well-executed transition push through the Revolution box in the 28th minute. Chicago captain Fabian Herbers ran under a rainbow feed inside the goal area and got behind Revolution center back Henry Kessler. Herbers made a clean cross to striker Hugo Cuypers, who took a right foot chip shot that beat Edwards to the crossbar for his second of the season.

“It is a step forward in a lot of ways, we showed a lot of fight and I’m just disappointed we gave up the first goal,” said Porter. “We have to do better there but I liked our response after it and I liked in the second half we were pushing to win.”

The Revolution’s probes got deeper as the first half went on, but they were never able to fully break down the Fire’s defensive structure. The Revolution’s persistence eventually paid off in a marvelously choreographed collaboration in stoppage time.

Left back DeJuan Jones crashed the box and back heeled the ball to Carles Gil, who had an unobstructed view of the Fire goal. Keeper Spencer Richey made the save, but Nacho Gil booted home the rebound for his first of the season.

“As you get results the confidence will grow and grow and that is something that will come with results,” said Porter. “I thought DeJuan had a good game today but I would still like to see him be more aggressive running.”

The Revolution controlled the play from the start of the second half, but had to weather back-to-back corner kicks by the Fire in the 64th minute. Richey made a huge save on Tomas Chancalay in the 87th minute to preserve the tie.

A fracas broke out at midfield in the 90th but Chicago’s Tom Barlow was the only player issued a yellow card. Carles Gil was issued a yellow card for diving on a play up field in stoppage time, a call that left Porter irate after the game.

“Carles was in on a break for us and could score what I believe would be the game-winning goal,” said Porter. “He is one of the best players in the league, and their guy just kills the play.

“At a minimum it is a foul, in my view it is a foul and a yellow card because he is killing the play and the referee doesn’t even call a foul. I don’t know how that happens, it is just shocking. It’s bizarre to me in this league that a guy like Carles is viewed in that moment as diving.”

The Revolution (0-4) will look to secure their first MLS victory when they host the Fire (1-2-1) in a matinee match on Saturday (2) at Gillette Stadium. The contest is the second of a three-game homestand.

The Revolution will engage the Fire minus three significant players, homegrown midfielders Esmir Bajraktarevic (U.S.) and Noel Buck (England), and goalkeeper Henrich Ravas (Slovakia), who are away honoring their FIFA international obligations. Veteran keeper Earl Edwards Jr. is expected to start in goal against the Fire.

“It’s like heaven,” said Revolution first-year head coach Caleb Porter after training on Thursday. “It’s like heaven to have a full week to prep and to build habits. It’s been very good, the work over the last couple of days. It’s our third day of training this week and the guys are improving.”

The Revolution wrapped up an arduous stretch of eight games in 26 days with a disheartening 2-1 loss to reigning Supporters Shields winners FC Cincinnati at the start of the homestand last Sunday.

Porter had to rotate his roster to its limits and double up the minutes on his established starters playing midweek matches in the Concacaf Champions Cup tournament and weekend MLS games.

The Revolution steamrolled the opposition in Champions Cup play, going 3-0-1 and outscoring their two Central American opponents, CA Independiente of Panama, and Costa Rica entrant LD Alajuelense, by an aggregate score of 9-1.

The Revolution’s success in Concacaf did not roll over into MLS competition. The Revolution have been outscored 10-3 in road losses to D.C. United and Atlanta United FC, and at home to Toronto FC and FC Cincinnati.

The Revolution will resume Concacaf play against reigning LIGA MX champion Club America in leg one of their home and home quarterfinal series on April 2 at Gillette. Leg two will be played on April 9 at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

The Revolution close out the homestand on April 6 against Charlotte FC. But their thoughts and training this week have been singularly focused on Chicago and getting that first MLS victory.

“It’s different, of course, when you have week to prepare for a game,” said Revolution striker Giacomo Vrioni. “It’s better to not have just one day (of training), but this is not an excuse at the end, because a lot of teams play every two days.

“But, yeah, I think it is good to have one week to prepare for the game. We did the training and we are ready. It is for sure a difficult time, but we know that we will come back. We know that we have an important game.”

Vrioni has scored two goals so far, one in Concacaf and the other in MLS, but he has endured a difficult and conflicted start to the season. Vrioni drew a red card in the first half of the season opener at D.C. United and had to sit out the home opener against Toronto FC.

Vrioni was later suspended from one Concacaf game for accumulated yellow cards. That’s a strange sequence of missteps for Vrioni, who plays a finesse game and is not overly aggressive on the pitch.

“It was obviously my mistake to leave the team with 10 players throughout the game (at D.C.),” said Vrioni. “I think at this moment, it’s how we learn from this mistake and how you grow up. So now, this is in the past and we have to think about the present. That is the most important thing.”

Attacking forward Tomas Chancalay, who leads the club with 28 shots, started at striker in Porter’s 4-2-3-1 scheme while Vrioni was serving his suspensions. Chancalay can play the position, but the Revolution are more effective in the opponents scoring area when he, Vrioni and midfield playmaker Carles Gil are on the pitch the same time.

“I think that chemistry is still building,” said Porter. “We haven’t had our front four together, game in and game out for very many games.

“Chancalay came in midseason last year and I think I counted three games they were together last year so that says it all. We have a chance to build those connections, that chemistry and that understanding but it is hard to do without training.”

The Revolution dropped to 0-4 with a 2-1 loss to reigning Supporters Shield winner FC Cincinnati before 14,557 on a sun splashed Sunday afternoon at Gillette Stadium. The Revolution are alone in last place in the Eastern Conference, off to their worst start since going 0-6 in 2001 and have been outscored 10-3 in the four matches.

“In terms of the vision and where we are going, I’m more convinced that ever we will get there,” said Porter. “This bus is moving and I’m learning there are some guys on it and some guys are on helping me drive it and some guys are on it sitting in the back.”

The Revolution wrapped up an arduous run of eight games in 26 days with the opening match of a three-game homestand. The Revolution will engage Chicago Fire FC on Saturday, March, 23, with three significant players, homegrown midfielders Esmir Bajraktarevic (U.S.) and Noel Buck (England) and goalkeeper Henrich Ravas (Slovakia), away honoring their FIFA international obligations.

The Revolution (3-0-1) will resume Concacaf Champions Cup play against reigning LIGA MX champion Club America in leg one of their home-and-home quarterfinal series on April 2 at The Razor. Leg two will be played on April 9 at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

Porter made substantial alterations from an offensive perspective to the starting XI that battled a LD Alajuelense to a 1-1 draw on Thursday night in Costa Rica. Playmaker and team captain Carles Gil was back in the 10-position, striker Giacomo Vrioni took his place at the top of Porter’s preferred 4-2-3-1 scheme with the club’s leading scorer, Tomas Chancalay, at attacking midfield. DeJuan Jones, an offensive-oriented left back, resumed his place on the backline.

“For three and a half weeks we haven’t trained, not even one day,” said Porter. “The days we’ve had are walk-throughs because the guys are recovering.

“If you don’t train you lose the little details and the habits. You need habits through training and there are a lot of excuses, but at end we didn’t get the job done today.”

FC Cincinnati field manager Pat Noonan, the 2023 MLS Coach of the Year, employed a 3-4-2-1 scheme that methodically attacked the Revolution’s back line with possession and passing.

The Revolution created their early scoring opportunities with turnovers and transition runs up the pitch. Cincy keeper Roman Celentano made huge saves on Bajraktarevic and Vrioni on transition plays. The contrasting styles provided a coherent flow to the match that ended in a scoreless tie after 45 minutes with zero stoppage time.

“If you watch that first half, we did everything we wanted to do,” said Porter. “We played through their press at will, we got through their final third but we have to find the goal. We can’t play that well and have nothing to show for it.”

The Revolution caught a huge break at the start of the second half when substitute attacker Luca Orellano’s chip shot goal in the 46th minute was ruled offside. The missed opportunity emboldened FC Cincinnati and they went up 1-0 off a corner kick in the 52nd minute.

Defender Yuya Kubo’s header crossed the goal line before Ravas could swat it away. FC Cincinnati went up 2-0 when midfielder Luciano Acosta, the 2023 league MVP, beat Ravas on a free kick from the top of the box in the 54th minute.

“It was definitely an unacceptable way to start the second half at home considering how important home games are for us,” said midfielder Mark-Anthoy Kaye. “It is something we are going to have to look at this week and figure out exactly what went wrong.”

The Revolution got on the board on a marvelous transition goal by Vrioni in the 62nd minute. Vrioni ran under a clearing pass from the midfield, maneuvered center back out Matt Miazga of position and fired the ball inside the far post for his first MLS goal and second in all competitions.

The Revolution went all out for the remainder of the second half but failed to net the equalizer. There were seven yellow cards issued by referee Richonne Clark in the second half.

The Revolution look to contain their 0-3 start to the MLS season when they host reigning Supporters Shield winner FC Cincinnati (1-0-2) at 2 p.m. on Sunday at Gillette Stadium. The match against FC Cincinnati is the Revolution’s eighth game against all competitions in 26 days.

“This is a massive game for us to get our league going and I’m confident our guys are going to have a good performance, I really do,” said Revolution first year head coach Caleb Porter.

FC Cincinnati is the first of three straight home games, a stretch that presents a strategic opportunity for the Revolution to move up from 15th place in the MLS Eastern Conference.

Unfortunately for the Revolution three significant players, homegrown midfielders Esmir Bajraktarevic (U.S.) and Noel Buck (England) and goalkeeper Henrich Ravas (Slovakia), will be away fulfilling their FIFA international duties for the match against Chicago Fire FC on March 23.

“Obviously this game is huge for the league and a big priority,” said Bajraktarevic. “We have to put good form into league and tournament play and this is a big game at home against a good team.”

The Revolution have been a runaway train in the Concacaf Champions Cup tournament, going 3-0-1 and outscoring their two opponents 9-1. The Revolution advanced to the quarterfinals with a 1-1 draw against LD Alajuelense on Thursday night in Costa Rica.

The Revolution will square off against reigning LIGA MX champion Club America with leg one of their home-and-home series on April 2 at Gillette Stadium. Leg two will be played on April 9 at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

Cincinnati will be just as road weary as the Revolution after being swept from the Champions Cup tournament with a 1-0 loss to Monterrey in Mexico City on Thursday night. But Cincy’s attacking midfielder Luciano Acosta, last season’s league MVP, presents a formidable challenge to the Revolution’s backline.

“Acosta is a handful,” said Porter. “He is guy that can go missing for 30 minutes and then pop up and pull a play out of nothing so he is one of those guys you have to be constantly aware of.”

The Revolution’s overwhelming success in Champions Cup has not carried over to MLS play. The Revolution started the season with road losses at D.C. United and Atlanta United FC and a brutal 1-0 home loss to Toronto FC.

Porter went into the second match against LD Alajuelense with a four-goal cushion which allowed him to rest some key players for FC Cincinnati.

Playmaker Carles Gil, one of the most fouled players in MLS, never touched the pitch while striker Giacomo Vrioni and center back Dave Romney were second half substitutes. Center back Henry Kessler played the first half while left back DeJuan Jones was kept on the sidelines.

“We rotated more in that game,” said Porter. “That meant we are more rested for this game and it takes on more importance because of where we are at in the league.”

Unfortunately for the first-year field manager dealing with condensed Concacaf and MLS scheduling, all leaves have not been cancelled.

The Revolution announced on Friday that dynamic young home-grown midfielders Noel Buck and Esmir Bajraktarevic and goalkeeper Henrich Ravas have been called up for FIFA international duty. Their end of the month excursions will include training camp and a pair of friendlies.

Bajraktarevic has been called up by the U.S. Men’s team to compete against Ghana on March 22 at Nou Estadi Municipal in Olot, Spain. The U.S. will play France on March 25 at Stade Bonal in Montbeliard, France.

Buck was summoned by England’s Under-19 Men’s National team. The English crew will host Morocco in Rabat, Eng., on March 21 and the U.S. squad on March 24 in Sale, Morocco.

Ravas was called up by the Slovakian National in preparation for the 2024 European Football Championship. Slovakia will compete against Austria on March 23 and Norway on March 26. All three hope to participate in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

The call ups come at a difficult time. The Revolution (0-3) are winless in MLS competition and begin a three-game homestand starting Sunday against the 2024 Supporters Shield winner FC Cincinnati. All three will miss the Revolution’s home match against Chicago Fire FC on March 23. The Revolution resume Concacaf Champions Cup play in leg one of a home-and-home series against Club America on April 2 at Gillette Stadium. Leg two will be played on April 9 at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

The Revolution recorded a 4-0 win over LD Alajuelense in leg one of their Round of 16 series on March 6 at Gillette Stadium. The Revolution advance to the quarterfinals with an aggregate score of 5-1 and will square off against reigning LIGA MX champion Club America, the top-rated club in the tournament. The Revolution outscored their two opponents 9-1 in four games.

“Obviously we are aware that our next opponent is one of the best teams on the continent and can compete in the world with the best teams,” said Revolution head coach Caleb Porter. “They have a big budget and huge talent and massive fan support so it’s a great opportunity for our club to play against a team the caliber of that.

“We are pleased to advance in this prestigious tournament with a lot at stake. It is a massive tournament and it is important to us and you can see that in the four games we’ve played.”

The Revolution (0-3) will look to secure their first MLS victory when they host reigning Eastern Conference champion and Supporters Shield winners FC Cincinnati on Sunday (2 p.m.) at Gillette Stadium.

“We are focused on the league right now, we’ve got a game in two days that we need to win at home,” said Porter. “We will start think about and look at and scout Club America once that game is done.”

The Revolution played their seventh of eight games in 26 days and Porter made significant alterations to his Starting XI from the lineup that got blitzed 4-1 on March 9 at Atlanta United FC.

Porter did not start team captain Carles Gil at the 10-spot, striker Giacomo Vrioni at the top of his 4-2-3-1 scheme and steady Dave Romney at center back. Ryan Spaulding got the not at left back in place of DeJuan Jones. Vrioni came off the bench in the second half and scored on a fine individual effort to tie the match in the 81st minute.

“We had a plan coming into this game knowing that we are behind in the league and the Sunday game is really important too,” said Porter. “We felt being up 4-0 in the aggregate to rotate so that we were not only fresh in this game but fresh for Sunday.

“We had a plan to start Tomas (Chancalay) and bring on Giacomo so we could get a good push from each guy. It couldn’t have gone any better for us to get a result.”

The Revolution gave up their first goal of the tournament in the fourth minute on a connect the dots exchange by Los Leones in the penalty area. Forward Johan Venegas got under a cross in front of the Revolution cage and headed the ball back to midfielder Celso Borges, the Leones’ captain.

Borges wheeled and fired at Ravas, who made the stop but could not control the rebound. Midfielder Carlos Moro got behind the Revolution backline and slammed the ball inside the right goal post for his eighth of the season against all competitions.

Venegas got behind the Revolution backline in the 22nd minute but his shot hit the left post and, less than a minute later, Ravas made a diving save on Moro to keep it 1-0. Alajuelense outshot the Revolution 12-1 and 6-1 in shots on target in the first half.

“They came out flying and we knew they would throw everything at us and then they get and early goal,” said Porter. “It was one of the best environments I’ve ever been in, the supporters here are incredible, they cheer in every play and chant all game.

“It was a great experience for the guys to come on the road and play in this environment. Then to go down a goal and then kind of compose ourselves, bend but not break.”

Los Leones started the second half strong. Borges had a free kick from just outside the box in the 48th minute but his shot sailed over the crossbar. Leones head coach Alexandre Guimaraes substituted in three plays in the 55th minute to maintain maximum pressure on Ravas.

If you needed any more proof that “The Dynasty” has been fully relegated to the dustbin of NFL history, that’s it.

RFK’s quixotic presidential campaign appears to be leaning toward Aaron Rodgers as its vice-presidential offering. Rodgers plays quarterback for the Jets in his spare time. At least for four snaps per season.

A visit to the JFK Library in Dorchester, or the internet, offers up images of the Kennedy clan playing family football at the Hyannis Port compound. The elder RFK and his three brothers all played football at Harvard. RFK Jr. appears hell-bent on bringing a ringer to the next Kennedy soiree. That’s if his family members can forgive him for running against his Uncle Ted’s old pal Joe.

Regardless of political ambitions, the Jets are planning on having Rodgers at QB this season. Even a partly healed Rodgers shoves the Patriots deeper into the cellar of the AFC East.

And there’s good news for Jets fans. Inauguration Day falls on the Monday before the AFC Championship Game. So any ascension of A-Rod to the vice presidency won’t interfere with the Jets playoff run.

Bill Belichick State Run Media has been in “Battle of the Bulge” counterattack mode since “The Dynasty ” first dropped on Apple TV+. That series has given the Kraft family the same sheen afforded the Kennedys by the Boston Globe, CBS or Hollywood.

Their latest proof of the Hoodie’s continued genius presents itself in the number of players the Patriots have managed to retain with the second-most salary cap space available in the NFL.

The Patriots have held onto all of the so-called “key players” from last year’s atrocious 4-13 season. Yet, none of “The Holdovers” in Foxboro are Oscar-worthy. The Patriots roster stood barren as the pre-blizzard bakery aisle at Market Basket. Even day-old Wonder bread tastes good when there’s no power and nothing to eat but Skippy peanut butter and Food Club strawberry jam.

Feel free to gas up the Duck Boats for retaining OT/G Mike Onwenu, LB Anfernee Jennings, DE Josh Uche, WRs Kendrick Bourne and Jalen Reagor, and TE Hunter Henry.

But before you nominate Belichick for “NFL Executive Of The Year,” ponder this: How many of these players would have re-signed if Belichick was still running things?

And history isn’t always fair. Dan Duquette got no love from the Red Sox 20 years ago even though he established the cornerstone of the 2004 World Champion curse-busters by acquiring the likes of Pedro Martinez, Manny Ramirez, Jason Varitek and Derek Lowe.

And on the practical side, Jennings is the first Patriots’ player drafted in the top three-rounds to get a multi-year contract since Duron Harmon seven years ago.

The Patriots and Onwenu agreed to a $57 million deal with $38 million guaranteed.

The funny money value of that contract represents the fifth largest such deal in Patriots history since they broke their deal with the state of Connecticut and broke ground on Gillette Stadium.

It trails only the $65 million compact signed by Stephon Gilmore in 2017, Tom Brady’s $72 million contract from 2010, the $103 million deal made with Drew Bledsoe in 2001, and the $250 million agreement the Patriots had with Suffolk construction to build their new lighthouse, scoreboard and stadium concourse.

That Robert and Jonathan Kraft spent more money on their stadium’s most-recent upgrade than they spent on their top three player contracts all-time combined offers a reminder of where the priorities lie at One Patriot Place. Before, during, and after Belichick.

Stadium additions, scoreboards and lighthouses are all appreciating assets that add to the long-term value of Gillette Stadium, and thus, the franchise.

To paraphrase John Henry, it’s expensive to have football players, too. Especially given their limited shelf life. Nothing depreciates quicker than a new Lexus on the streets of Cambridge except an NFL running back.

The Patriots’ lighthouse will outlast whoever they choose with the No. 3 pick in April’s draft. Never mind anyone on the roster right now.

In many ways, the Patriots are building a bridge not to the future, but merely to Fenway Park.

The Patriots brought back the tail end of the “Wolfpack” in Jacoby Brissett. An all-world nice guy, Brissett has been on four different rosters since leaving the Patriots after the 2016 season. More living proof that it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.

The same team that under-appreciated Tom Brady for 20 years continues to flat-out suck at the most important position in pro sports. Tom has yet to let it go. New England’s best hope at quarterback is a rookie-to-be-named later who will be passed over twice in the NFL draft.

The Patriots replaced one of the worst QBs in the NFL with one of the worst QBs in the NFL.

Brissett’s career passer rating is 85.3. That’s lower than Mac Jones’ number of 85.8.

Attrition by subtraction.

The best quarterback the Patriots had last season is now in Jacksonville. Jones led the team in passing yards, completions, completion percentage,  average yards per attempt, average yards per game, touchdowns (and interceptions) and passer rating.

Jones played in 11 games. Bailey Zappe played in 10.

The Patriots once dominated the universe of pro sports. This week, they were left chasing the tail of the Jaguars trying to sign WR Calvin Ridley, a 30-year-old WR suspended two years ago by the NFL for gambling.

Ridley landed a four-year deal with the Tennessee Titans worth $92 million, with $50 million guaranteed. Tennessee doesn’t have a state income tax or a decent/proven starting quarterback. But the Patriots whiffed again when it came to the biggest name available.

The Volunteer State does boast a dozen legal online sportsbooks, compared to the six active betting sites in the Bay State.

And the 2024 Patriots needed every edge they could get.

Bill Speros (@RealOBF and @BillSperos on X) can be reached at bsperos1@gmail.com

That is the New England Revolution’s agenda when they engage LD Alajuelense in leg two of their home and home Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 series on Thursday night at Estadio Alejandro Morea Soto in Alajuela, Costa Rica.

The teams have played five previous Champions Cup games and the series record is 2-2-1.

“It surely will be different with their fans on their field and their stadium,” said Revolution forward Tomas Chancalay. “Surely the mentality for them is to be ready and try to win the game and we have to do our best to advance.”

Revolution first-year field manager Caleb Porter has worked the sidelines in Champions Cup tournament matches in Costa Rica during his MLS tenures with the Portland Timbers and Columbus Crew. Porter knows from experience the Los Leones’ supporters will show up in numbers and volume.

“It is always difficult to come on the road and to play in the rival’s home stadium,” said Porter. “We are very pleased that we have a 4-0 advantage right now in the aggregate and that we’ve been able to keep a clean sheet.

“We have to be aggressive and smart and organized and understand we will be under pressure because they are going to attack us. They need goals in the match so we will be under some pressure but I do think there will be opportunities from that in transition.”

Revolution first-year goalkeeper Henrich Ravas recorded clean sheets with six saves in three straight Concacaf matches. The Revolution beat Panamanian entrant CA Independiente by an aggregate score of 4-0 in the first round.

The Revolution enter the match with the upper hand after demolishing the Los Leones 4-0 in leg one on March 6 at Gillette Stadium. Chancalay, who started up top in place of suspended striker Giacomo Vrioni, finished with a brace and has scored four of the Revolution’s eight goals in the tournament. Vrioni is expected back at the striker position.

“We have to use the advantage of the 4-0 lead after that first game,” said Chancalay. “We just have to be ready and play another great game like that night to advance.

“I just have to do my job wherever the coach asks me to play. Giacomo is back and we had an MLS game with him back and me back in the midfield. I’m ready to play where I’m needed but I’m back in a role where I feel more comfortable.”

The Revolution look like an obvious slam dunk to advance to the quarterfinals and square off against Club America or Club Deportivo Guadalajara, both of whom are known throughout North America and would be formidable opponents.

But the obvious doesn’t always happen for the Revolution, as recent history would indicate. The Revolution captured leg one of their Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League series against Mexico City based Pumas USAM of Liga MX with a 3-0 victory under wintery conditions on March 9, 2022 at Gillette Stadium.

The Revolution traveled to Mexico City for leg 2 with Pumas on Wednesday, March 15 at Estadio Olimpico Universitario on March 16, where things quickly went sideways. The Revs were down 3-0 at the end of regulation and were eliminated from the tournament in a shootout.

“I’m aware of it,” said Porter. “I wasn’t here, I wasn’t a part of that but some of the players were and we can’t have PTSD because of that. We need to know this is a new team and a new situation and there is no need to overthink that.

“We know if we score one goal, they need six but we have work to do in this game. We have to have a mindset to win the game. We know there is an advantage in the match but we can’t approach this game in a reactive was trying to protect the advantage that we have.”

While the Revolution are 3-0 in Champions Cup play, they are 0-3 in MLS competition with road losses at D.C. United and Atlanta United FC and at home to Toronto FC.

The Revolution will look to end their losing streak when they host reigning Eastern Conference champion and Supporters Shield winners FC Cincinnati on Sunday (2 p.m.) at Gillette Stadium.

“We can’t do anything about the league right now, we need to focus on finishing the job here in the Concacaf Champions Cup to advance to the quarterfinals,” said Porter. “That is out mindset now and not worried about anything else.”

The Revolution opened the season 0-3 in MLS play with Saturday night’s 4-1 blowout loss to Atlanta United FC before over 67,000 fans on Saturday night at Mercedes Benz Stadium.

Atlanta United FC dynamic attacker Giorgos Giakoumakis scored three goals, the second MLS player to record a hat trick against the Revolution this season. D.C. United striker Christian Benteke scored three goals in a 3-1 win in the season opener on Feb. 24.

“None of use are happy where we are in the league at all,” said Revolution head coach Caleb Porter. “We are disappointed and there were moments in every one of those league game where we were right there.

“But the reality is we are not doing a good enough job finishing the chances we are given and we are giving up, for me, soft goals.”

The Revolution (3-0) will play the second leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 series against LD Alajuelense on Thursday (8) at Estadio Alejandro Morea Soto in Alajuela, Costa Rica. The Revolution will resume MLS play against reigning Eastern Conference champion FC Cincinnati on March 17 at Gillette Stadium.

The Revolution played the sixth of eight games in 26 days and Porter made significant changes to the Starting XI that pummeled LD Alajuelense 4-0 on Wednesday night at Gillette Stadium. In contrast, Atlanta FC played its first game since losing their MLS opener 1-0 on Feb. 24 at Columbus.

“They were fresh and we were playing our third game in six days and we were there, we were in the game,” said Porter

Team captain Carles Gil, who signed a four-year contract extension on the Thursday, was back at the 10-slot after sitting out the game against Alajuelense.

Giacomo Vrioni, who missed consecutive games against Toronto FC and Alajuelense due to yellow card accumulation, returned to the striker spot in Porter’s preferred 4-2-3-1 formation. Center back Henry Kessler was stationed alongside Dave Romney in the middle of the backline.

Vrioni nearly atoned for his lost time in the fourth minute when his contested shot in the penalty area sailed inches over the crossbar. Tomas Chancalay suffered a worst fate when his header from the top of the box hit the crossbar in the 13th minute.

Atlanta went up 1-0 on a curious sequence of events in the 45th minute and stoppage time. Midfielder Saba Lobjanidze scored but the play was whistled dead because Revs’ keeper Henrich Ravas took down Giorgos Giakoumakis in the penalty area before the shot. Thiago Almada buried the penalty kick in stoppage time.

“I think the first half was good when you look at the execution to start game,” said Porter. “I thought we disrupted their build up and Tomas hit the crossbar on one of those and we should have scored on a couple more.

“I thought we were unlucky being down 1-0 going into the break. That was a tough goal to give up at the end of the half.”

The Revolution went down a man in the 50th minute when left back DeJuan Jones left the field after taking a forearm to the face by defender Bartosz Slisz. Jones was checked out and resumed play two minutes later.

Atlanta United went up 2-0 in in the 55th minute on its second awarded penalty kick of the match. Right back Nick Lima was called for a hand ball in the penalty area.

Giakoumakis fired the ball by Ravas on the gift goal. Giakoumakis scored on a header on a Brooks Lennon cross in the 60th minute to give Atlanta United FC a 3-0 lead. Giakoumakis completed the hat trick when he beat Ravas to the far post in the 74th minute.

Carles Gil scored the Revolution’s lone goal off a corner kick in the in the 83rd minute.

The first was to find a new head coach to replace Bruce Arena and the second was to land an experienced goalkeeper after MLS All-Star Djordje Petrovic decamped for the English Premier League.

Onalfo satisfied both requisites in grand fashion when he hired two-time MLS Cup winner Caleb Porter as field manager and brought in Slovakian National Team goalkeeper Henrich Ravas, who has three clean sheets in five games this season.

Onalfo completed his to do list trinity Thursday when the team announced dynamic three-time MLS All-Star midfielder Carles Gil had signed a four-year extension with the club as a designated player.

Gil, the 2021 Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player and two-time MLS Best XI selection, will be onboard through the 2026 season, with an additional one-year club option for 2027.

“When I stepped into the sporting director role, the work immediately began to extend Carles and ensure he would continue his remarkable MLS career right here in New England,” said Onalfo.

“Carles have been one of the most impactful players in our league since the day he arrived and he will go down in history as one of the greatest ever to wear a Revolution uniform. Carles delivers everything you could ask of a captain and leader.”

Gil will begin earning his new bounty when the Revolution (0-2-0) resume MLS play on Saturday night (7:30) against Atlanta United FC (0-1-0) at Mercedes Benz Arena.

Gil, 31, became an impact player upon arrival in 2019. He was named MLS Newcomer of the Year and went on to become team captain. He has emerged as the league’s leading playmaker and a reliable scorer, earning him team MVP honors three times. In combined MLS regular season and playoff games, Gil has logged an MLS-best 68 assists since the 2019 season.

Gil, a native of Valencia, Spain, needs 11 more helpers to become the Revolution’s all-time leader. Gil has scored 38 goals and was the Revolution’s Golden Boot winner in 2023. He is two tallies short of becoming the fifth player in team history to have 40 goals and 40 assists.

“During my time in New England with the Revolution, I have been able to rediscover my joy on the field and I am at my happiest when I am playing winning football for our supporters,” said Gil.

“I have so much more to give this club and to the supporters, who give me all their backing and confidence as their captain. I am excited to continue my career in New England and will give everything on the pitch to win trophies for the club.”

Gil did not participate in the Revolution’s 4-0 pummeling of LD Alajuelense in leg one of their home and home Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 series on Wednesday night at Gillette Stadium.  The second leg will take place March 14 at Estadio Alejandro Morea Soto in Alajuela, Costa Rica.

That was the Revolution’s fifth match in an arduous stretch of eight games in 26 days and Gil had started the previous four. The Revolution can’t afford to fall further behind in the MLS Eastern Conference after their 3-1 loss at D.C. United in the season opener and 1-0 setback to Toronto FC last Sunday at Gillette Stadium. A fresh Gil will be needed in Atlanta to secure a need win in league competition.

“That’s five games for us and we’ve won three of them and the other two league games we played very well,” said Porter.  “I think our guys have shown that even though we haven’t won in the league, we are very confident and these guys believe in the way we are doing things and the approach that we have.”

The Revolution recorded their third straight Cup victory with a 4-0 win over LD Alajuelense in leg one of their home-and-home Round of 16 series on Wednesday night at Gillette Stadium. Revolution keeper Henrich Ravas recorded his third clean sheet while striker Tomas Chancalay collected a brace.

The second leg will take place on March 14 at Estadio Alejandro Morea Soto in Alajuela, Costa Rica. The Revolution beat Panamanian entrant CA Independiente by an aggregate score of 4-0 in the first round. The Revolution will look to secure their first MLS victory when they engage Atlanta United FC on Saturday night (7:30) at Mercedes Benz Stadium.

“It wasn’t their night tonight,” said Revolution head coach Caleb Porter. “We got on top of them with a couple of goals and it got away from them a little bit but this next leg is going to be extremely difficult.

“They are going to throw the kitchen sink at us and in some ways, they have nothing to lose. The fans are going to be difficult and I know the environment there.”

The Revolution played the fifth of eight games in 26 days and Porter made significant changes to his starting XI from Sunday’s 1-0 loss to Toronto FC at Gillette. Porter went with more of a 4-3-3 scheme with midfielder Carles Gil out of the starting group and striker Giacomo Vrioni serving a suspension. Midfielder Matt Polster wore the captain’s armband with Gil on the bench.

“Obviously Carles is a very good player and you wonder with him out are you going to create as many chances and score as many goals,” said Porter. “We thought the 4-3-3 would work well without Carles and it gave us a really good tempo in possession.”

Concacaf matches can turn malevolent in an instant and the first yellow card incident occurred in the 19th minute. Nacho Gil was attempting to play the ball off his chest when Los Leones’ midfielder Ian Lawrence delivered a leaping forearm to the head. Gil crumpled to the ground and emerged bleeding from a face wound. Referee Adonal Escobedo issued a verbal warning to Lawrence along with the yellow card.

The Revolution went up 1-0 on a rare outside back to outside back collaboration in the 28th minute. Center back Dave Romney launched a deep ball into the LDA zone to Esmir Bajraktarevic, who made a pass off his back foot to DeJuan Jones on the left side of the box. Jones sent a cross into the penalty area that Nick Lima fired off his right foot by keeper Leonel Moreira and inside the far post.

“We talked a lot recently about our outside backs being more aggressive,” said Porter. “I thought you say today we were really aggressive with our outside backs on both sides and I think it gave them some problems.”

The Revolution went up 2-0 on a play that originated at midfield in the 41st minute. Ian Harkes forced a turnover at the center line and led Nacho Gil on a deep run down the right flank. Gil connected with Tomas Chancalay as he streaked through the box. The Argentine sniper fired it by Moreira for the first of two.

“I thought he played very well today,” said Porter. “He is not a No. 9 but he is a forward with a forward’s mentality and he wants to score. He’s never seen a shot he can’t make and it’s all he wants to do is just score.”

The Revolution went up 3-0 on a gift goal by Chancalay in the 50th minute. Alajuelense midfielder Edward Cedeno was called for a handball while making a play on Nacho Gil in the penalty area. Porter sent Chancalay to do the job and he delivered a laser under the crossbar for his fourth in the tournament. The Revolution went up 4-0 in the 55th minute when Lima set up Bajraktarevic for a chip shot goal, his first of the season.

“The mentality is to focus on what I can do and know in my head and what I’m going to do with the shot,” said Chancalay. “That is important, kick the ball hard and finish my shot and my aim is to always to score.”

Romney will make his eighth Concacaf Champions Cup appearance when the Revolution host leg one of their Round of 16 clash with two-time winner LD Alajuelense on Wednesday (6 p.m.) at Gillette Stadium.

The second match will take place on March 14 at Estadio Alejandro Morea Soto in Alajuela, Costa Rica. Romney will be making his third Champions Cup start with New England. His previous five appearances were with the LA Galaxy.

“It is always fun to play teams and guys from other countries,” said Romney. “Culturally it is a cool thing and I’m sure they love it as well and you always love to test yourself against the best in other leagues.

“I always take it as a way to kind of compete and see where we stand in the rest of our Concacaf region. I always love it. I can’t say if everyone feels the same but I think it is a fun test and a fun competition for sure.”

The Revolution and LDA played in the 2003 and 2006 Champions Cup Tournaments with the La Liga Los Leones, holding a 2-1-1 lead in the series. LDA will be making its first appearance in New England as the previous four engagements were held at neutral sites.

The Revolution advanced to the Round of 16 with an aggregate score of 4-0 in its home and home opening round series against Panamanian contender CA Independiente. Revolution goalkeeper Henrich Ravas recorded a clean sheet in both contests.

While the Revolution have enjoyed early success in the Champions Cup, it has not carried over to the MLS side of the slate. The Revolution are 0-2 in league play after Sunday’s dispiriting 1-0 loss to resurgent Toronto FC in the home opener.

Juggling a busy interwoven schedule of Champions Cup and MLS games to start the season has tested the managerial skills of Revolution first-year head coach Caleb Porter. The Revolution will play eight games in 26 days, a grueling endeavor for players who are still finding their soccer legs. The Revolution resume MLS play on Saturday night (7:30) at Atlanta United FC.

“It is extremely difficult because you are not conditioned to do it,” said Porter. “This game isn’t made to be played every two or three days like we are doing, but especially when you are not conditioned early in the year to do it.

“I am really proud of the guys that they have been grinding. Mentally and physically, it is a grind and we have to keep grinding. We have got to stay mentally strong and keep our energy up and that is what we are going to do.”

Porter has been through the process during his previous MLS tenures with the Portland Timbers and the Columbus Crew. The reward for winning the Concacaf tournament is worth the effort. The winner of the Champions Cup qualifies for the FIFA Club World Cup against winning teams from Europe, Africa, Asia and South America.

Porter knows from experience that LD Alajuelense is a huge step up in class for CA Independiente and that the Revolution are at a competitive disadvantage playing leg two in Costa Rica.

“They put the advantage at being home for the second leg because you know what to do,” said Porter. “It is really important to us in this first leg to set up ourselves up for the second half of the series and put ourselves in a good spot in the aggregate.

“When you go from the Panamanian to the Costa Rica team the level goes higher and they have more quality. They have bigger budgets and more talent and they have a lot of internationals on their team.”

Revolution striker Giacomo Vrioni picked up a yellow card in the second game against CA Independiente and is ineligible to compete in the next match.

Toronto FC goalkeeper Season Johnson recorded his second consecutive clean sheet to secure a 1-0 victory over the Revolution in their MLS home opener before 29,293 on Sunday at Gillette Stadium.

The Revolution are 2-0 in Champions Cup play but 0-2 to start the MLS season. The Revolution outshot Toronto FC 23-8 and 6-2 in shots on target. They also possessed the ball 64% of the time and made 659 passes to 378 for TFC.

“It’s tough and we had a great crowd today in the home opener and we are on the wrong end of a loss, a result we didn’t want,” said Porter. “I was encouraged by the way the team played especially in the second half. There was a lot of good in there and we have to keep a perspective and we need to stick to the process.

“We doubled them in all the analytics and all the things I care about when I look at performance. I thought we performed well today but certainly the result stinks.”

The Revolution will face two-time Champions Cup winner Liga Deportiva Alajuelense of the Costa Rican Primera Division in leg one of a home-and-home Round of 16 series on Wednesday night (6) at Gillette Stadium. The Revolution will resume MLS play on Saturday night (7:30) at Atlanta United FC.

Porter reconfigured his starting XI to accommodate the loss of dynamic striker Giacomo Vrioni, who was suspended for picking up two yellow cards in the first half of the Revolution’s 3-1 loss to D.C. United in the MLS opener on Feb. 24 at Audi Field.

Tomas Chancalay shifted from the left side to Vrioni’s spot on the top of Porter’s 4-2-3-1 scheme. Homegrown Esmir Bajraktarevic started at forward on the right side while Noel Buck and Emmanuel Boateng got the nod in the attacking midfield.

“He (Chancalay) is used to playing striker and he’s played it a lot throughout his career,” said Bajraktarevic. “We did well but we have to put away our chances and its on us. We could have won the game if we put away our chances.”

Revolution captain Carles Gil, the team’s leading scorer in 2023, was home at the 10-position despite leaving Wednesday’s Champions Cup match at halftime with a strained Achilles tendon. Gil was active throughout his 90-minutes on the pitch and was on the business end of some hard fouls.

“I can’t say enough about Carles and it was touch and go a little bit,” said Porter. “I think as a supporter you are going to like that and he is a player that wants to be in. He gives everything he has for this club.”

The Revolution owned the possession game from the onset, but Toronto FC had the two best scoring chances inside the opening 15 minutes. Striker Prince Owusu narrowly missed the near post on a header in the scoring area and had an uncontested boot sail over the crossbar.

Ravas made his biggest save of the season when he stoned Jonathan Osorio from 15 feet in the 26th minute but had no chance on Toronto’s go-ahead tally in the 27th. Attacker Lorenzo Insigne gained possession on the left half of the box and fired an arching ball that eluded the over-committed Ravas and found the far post for Toronto’s goal first of the season.

“He (Insigne) is quality and everyone knows it,” said Ravas. “When he takes it on his right foot he will try and get a shot off. I’m not sure if he was trying to cross it on trying to shoot, only he knows.”

Porter attempted to break the logjam in the Toronto FC end with two substitutions in the 61st minute. Porter replaced Buck and Boateng with Nacho Gil and Mark-Anthony Kaye, both of whom had scored a goal against CA Independiente in Champions Cup play on Thursday night.

Johnson preserved his clean sheet with athletic stops on Gil, Chancalay and Nacho Gil in the second half. Johnson was issued a yellow card in the 86th minute and preserved the shutout with a magnificent save on Matt Polster in stoppage time.

“We had chances and hats off to Sean Johnson,” said Porter. “Insigne pulls a rabbit out of his hat and finds a world class goal. The difference today was Insigne finding a goal, pulling off a play out of nothing, and Sean Johnson standing on his head.”

Revolution sporting director Curt Onalfo created a buzz of excitement among the Revolution’s base when he hired Porter on Dec. 19. The noise it generated has not waned and there are strong indications that a record opening day crowd is the works.

Porter enjoyed a dress rehearsal of sorts with the Revolution’s 3-0 battering of CA Independiente in leg 2 of their Concacaf Champions Cup match on a cold and blustery Thursday night before a sparse crowd at Gillette.

Porter has experienced opening days during his MLS tenures with Portland and Columbus so he understands the value of a satisfactory first impression. Porter said he is determined to deliver a positive result for the New England faithful.

“I think it is very important that the team, the players and the coaches make a connection with the supporters,” said Porter. “I do care about the supporters and I do want them to believe in our team and our players and us as coaches.

“It’s a results-based business, it’s a bottom-line business so at end of the day we are going to be judged on results whether or not we deliver.

“But I also think you can pay respect to the supporters and it very important there is a mutual respect. I want them to understand we respect them and play for them. The supporters are the soul of the club and the lifeblood and they are everything to us. We are playing for them and there is no club without them.”

Porter needs to reshuffle his Starting XI to overcome several impediments to a successful home opener against the Revolution’s rivals from the north.

The Toronto FC franchise has been revitalized by first-year head coach John Herdman and they opened the 2024 campaign with a scoreless draw with FC Cincinnati, last season’s Supporter’s Shield winners.

“I think they (Toronto) have more belief and they are organized and I think they bought in to what the coach is doing,” said Porter. “They obviously got a good result in their first game and that will give them more confidence.

“Those are things I see and they have quality as well even though they lost a lot of games last year. It unraveled for them at the end and there was a lot of change and a lot of transition but they have a lot of quality.”

The Revolution will be without striker Giacomo Vrioni, who picked up two first half yellow cards in their 3-1 loss to D.C. United in the MLS opener at Audi Field on Feb. 24. Vrioni was eligible to play against CA Independiente and he registered two quality helpers on goals by Nacho Gil and Mark-Anthony Kaye.

Citing “competitive advantage,” Porter would not disclose who will be the point man in his 4-2-3-1 formation against Toronto FC. The natural choice would be striker Bobby Wood, who is currently dealing with a minor knee issue. Wood played in 29 games with 19 starts last season and finished with seven goals and five assists.

“Potentially Bobby Wood could be available,” said Porter.

Porter would not say if midfielder Carles Gil would be available against Toronto. Gil and center back Henry Kessler were substituted out at halftime against CA Independiente. Gil because he had experienced a tight Achilles tendon and Kessler, who is dealing with an Adductor groin issue, for maintenance purposes. Kessler is expected to start alongside Dave Romney against Toronto FC.

“Again, we are still evaluating that,” said Porter. “The fact he came out because he was tight, it is probably unlikely he will play. But we are still evaluating the situation.”

The Revolution won the first game 1-0 on Feb. 21 in Panama for an aggregate score of 4-0. The Revolution will face two-time tournament champion Liga Deportiva Alajuelense of the Costa Rican Primera Division in a home and home series beginning on March 6 at Gillette Stadium.

Revolution goalkeeper Henrich Ravas picked up his second clean sheet in the tournament while Nacho Gil, Tomas Chancalay and Mark-Anthony Kaye accounted for the goals. The Revolution will resume MLS play with their home opener against Toronto FC on Sunday afternoon (2) at Gillette.

“I really liked that we got three goals and got a clean sheet and I don’t know if they got a shot,” said Revolution first-year coach Caleb Porter. “Partly that was because we controlled the game with the ball but I thought our team defending went really well.

“It was a comprehensive performance and now we have to turn around and recover and think about the Sunday game.”

Porter made a few significant alterations to the Starting XI that produced the win in Panama. On the back line, Andrew Farrell was shifted to right back in place of Nick Lima to make room for Henry Kessler in the middle alongside Dave Romney. DeJuan Jones was at his usual location on the left flank.

Giacomo Vrioni, who finished with two assists, was back at the top of Porter’s 4-2-3-1 formation but will sit out the match against Toronto FC due to the red card he accrued in the Revolution’s 3-1 loss at D.C. United on Feb. 24. Ian Harkes joined Matt Polster as the holding midfielders.

The Revolution were enjoying some quality time in CA Independiente’s scoring area when a brilliant collaboration between the Brothers Gil put New England up 1-0 in the ninth minute.

Vrioni controlled the ball on the right flank and dished the Carles Gil at the top of the box. Carles made as quick lead pass to Nacho Gil, who got behind the center back and beat keeper Eddie Roberts high inside the near post.

“That first goal was an unbelievable team goal,” said Porter. “There was very good passage of play and the kind of buildup that we want to see in the football that we play.

“It was on the ground and the tempo was good. It was a couple of switches and then break a line and go to goal. I really like that goal a lot.”

Referee Ismael Comejo put Vrioni on notice when he issued a him a yellow card for taking a dive in side CAI’s box in the 20th minute. Vrioni could be ineligible for the first Alajuelense pending an appeal.

Porter made a pair of interesting substitutions in the 46th minute, inserting Lima to replace Kessler and Esmir Bajraktarevic for Carles Gil. Bajraktarevic made his presence felt with a hard charge down the right flank to set up Chancalay for a chip shot goal that made it 2-0 in the 58th minute. Chancalay scored the lone goal in the first game. Vrioni made a sweet cross to Kaye for the third tally in stoppage time.

“Carles had to come out at halftime,” said Porter. “We don’t think it is anything serious but his Achilles was tight because of the cold and the new field and we thought we needed to be careful with it.

“We knew we had the kid Esmir to put in and I think everybody sees his talent. He is special player and very dynamic and case in point was that goal he created.”

The Revolution have spent the last four and half weeks playing preseason games in Florida, a Concacaf Champions Cup match in Panama, and their MLS opener in Washington, D.C

The Revolution will play in front of their supporters for the first time when they host CA Independiente at 8:15 p.m. Thursday in leg two of their Champions Cup series at Gillette Stadium. The club will resume its MLS schedule against Toronto FC in the home opener on Sunday at 2 p.m.

“It is massive just to be in market, to be in your home and sleep in your own bed and be around your family,” said Revolution first year coach Caleb Porter.

“That work-life balance is important and we were on the road for four and a half weeks straight. I can see a buzz and an energy from the guys this week just being back home and just knowing we have home games as well. We want to get off to a good start in our home games.”

Round one of the Concacaf Champions Cup employs a home-and-home aggregate format where total goals determines which team advances to the next round.

The Revolution won the first game 1-0 on Feb. 21 at Estadio Universitario FC Stadium in Llano Marin, Panama. Forward Tomas Chancalay scored the lone goal in the 54th minute while goalkeeper Henrich Ravas recorded a clean sheet in his Revolution debut.

The Revolution are in an advantageous position up a goal at home in a cold weather venue against their warm bodied antagonists from Central America. Porter came to New England to collect trophies and the Champions Cup presents the Revolution’s first opportunity to secure a coveted piece of hardware in an international endeavor.

“It is better than to be even or behind and we are home, but we can’t assume that it is going to be cruise control to advance,” said Porter. “That is the worst mindset you can have and we know they are going to be aggressive.

“They are going to come in here and they are going to go for it. They may say there is nothing to lose so let’s go for it. The worst thing we can do is be tentative and try and protect the lead that we have.

“We need to play to win and that’s the key. We understand a win gets us through and a draw gets us through as well. But we are not going to take the field with the intention of drawing this game. We are going to take the field to win this game and advance in a real positive way.”

The Revolution return to their home pitch after a hard luck 3-1 loss to D.C. United on Saturday night at Audi Field. Striker Giacomo Vrioni picked up a second yellow card in the 25th minute and the Revolution played the rest on the way with 10 men on the pitch. Vrioni is eligible to play against CA Independiente but must sit out the MLS match against Toronto FC.

Going 65 minutes plus stoppage time against a formidable opponent like D.C. United was a strain, but Porter came away with a genuine respect for the resilience of the team he assembled in training camp.

D.C. United dynamic striker Christian Benteke was the difference-=maker with three goals, with two coming late in the second half.

“These guys are professionals, they have dealt with adversity and they have dealt with situations, ups and downs,” said Porter. “My conversation with Giacomo was simple, let’s learn for the mistakes. He was very remorseful and he apologized to the team and he apologized to me.

“There will be a lot of times during the year where players make mistakes and we have to support players that make mistakes. There will be a time where Giacomo finds a goal to win us a game and I’m hoping it is on Thursday.”

D.C. United dynamic striker Christian Benteke was the difference maker with three goals against an undermanned Revolution squad.

Revolution forward Giacomo Vrioni compromised the Revolution’s chances with a pair of costly first-half mistakes that caught the attention of referee Andrew Musashe.

Vrioni picked a yellow card for delaying the restart in the 13th minute and was issued a second for a hard takedown in the 25th to put the Revolution down a man for the remainder of the game.

“If we didn’t give up that red card, I think it is a different game,” said Revolution head coach Caleb Porter. “Everybody on the team has to learn from this as a lesson and the first yellow shouldn’t happen and I haven’t seen a replay on the second yellow.

“Knowing he was on a yellow he shouldn’t be leaving his feet. I am not sure he got him but I haven’t seen it. When you leave your feet on a yellow already you are putting yourself in a situation you shouldn’t be in.”

The Revolution opened the season with a 1-0 victory over CA Independiente on Wednesday night in round one of the Concacaf Champions Cup in Panama. The Revolution will resume their stretch of four games in 11 when they host CA Independiente in the second leg in their Champions Cup series at Gillette Stadium on Thursday night (8:15). The Revolution will face Toronto FC in the MLS home opener in a Sunday matinee (2) on March 3.

“It has been a long preseason and a long road trip up from Panama,” said Porter. “These guys need a break, take a day off and circle the wagons and reset and we go again next week with two home games.

“It will be nice to be home in front of our supporters and we need their support and their energy. We want to get that first home win on Thursday to advance in the Champions Cup and our first league win at home on Sunday.”

Porter made several changes to the Starting XI that blanked CA Independiente. Jonathan Mensah stated at center back alongside Dave Romney while homegrowns Noel Buck was inserted in the midfield and Esmir Bajraktarevic on the attack. Both Buck and Bajraktarevic were second half substitutes against CA Independiente.

Both of these original MLS franchises are under first-year field managers, but Porter was the only one calling the shots from the sidelines. D.C. United head coach Troy Lesesne, who was previously employed by the Red Bulls, was serving a suspension for drawing a red card in his final game with New York in 2023. Assistant coach Zach Prince was at the helm.

While Lesesne was off the grid, his fingerprints were all over the swarming single striker formation that had the Revolution on their heels from the onset.

D.C. United went up 1-0 in the 35th minute when Benteke headed the ball over the line. Ravas appeared to have made a spectacular save, but an official review showed the ball clearly crossed the line.

Benteke led the club with 14 goals last season. The Revs caught a break when midfielder Jared Stroud’s uncontested bid in stoppage time bounced off the crossbar.

“I can’t ask for much more from the group in that second half,” said Porter. “A lot of time 1-0 that long and we hung in and I thought we could claw out a point.”

The Revolution had opportunities to tie the game on three set pieces early in the second half but failed to score. Carles Gil tied the game 1-1 in the 68th minute with an amazing shot that curled inside the far post.

“What a tremendous goal by Carles, a world-class goal,” said Porter. “He and everyone worked hard and ran hard.”

Beneke put D.C, United up 2-1 when Benteke finished a set piece with a sliding kick in the 72nd minute. Benteke potted a header in the 93rd minute to complete the hat trick.

Ravas needed only two saves to record a clean sheet in the Revolution’s 1-0 victory over CA Independiente in round one of their home and home Concacaf Champions Cup series on Wednesday night at Estadio Universitario FC Stadium in Llano Marin, Panama.

Ravas can expect considerably more pressure in the scoring area when the Revolution open the 2024 MLS regular season against D.C. United on Saturday night (7:30) at Audi Field in Washington, D.C.

“I am really happy with my debut, it was certainly important for me to start out on a good foot, which I think I did,” said Ravas. “Obviously now we are looking forward to the next game and I think it is going to be much different.

“I think D.C. will be a good quality start to (MLS). I think we have a good quality team and I think we can get can get three points out of this game. It is going to be much different but we will be prepared to do our best and try to win the game.”

Ravas was acquired on Jan. 6 from the Polish club Widzew Lodz for an undisclosed fee. He was tendered an MLS contract and will fill an international roster spot through the 2026 season with a team option for 2027. Ravas, 26, is a native of Senica, Slovakia, and a back-up goalkeeper on the Slovakian National Team.

“My main aspiration now is to achieve something big here in New England,” said Ravas. “I am not thinking much forward, I am going to be in the present.

“Winning the MLS Cup for me is a big aspiration and I think it is for everyone else on the club and for our fans. For me to achieve something great here as a group is the most important thing.”

Ravas was the beneficiary of a hyperactive performance by the Revolution’s back four against CA Independiente. Veterans center backs Andrew Farrell and Dave Romney were a steadfast buffer in the middle. Left back DeJuan Jones, a contributor to the U.S. National Team, was an offensive presence at left back, while newcomer Nick Lima, who is filling in at right back for injured Brandon Bye, brought stability on the flank.

The most noticeable aspect of the Revolution’s solid performance along the back line was Farrell, who was quick to the ball, made secure passes and was never caught up field. That was a huge improvement on where Farrell was at the end of last season, when he was playing out of position at right back in place of Bye.

“He has been playing well and he’s good on the ball,” said Revolution first-year head coach Caleb Porter. “With Andrew, he is very good on the ball and sometimes he can take some risks.

“But I think that is one of his best qualities and he is programmed in that way on how we are trying to build out our attacks and he’s technical. I think in our system he will do very well because he is technical enough to find passes as long as he understands our patterns of play.”

The Revolution play a congested schedule from the onset which will test Porter’s ability to rotate his roster and evaluate its depth. The match in Panama was the first of four games in 11 days. The Revolution will host CA Independiente in the second leg at Gillette Stadium on Thursday night (8:15) and will face Toronto FC in the home opener in a Sunday matinee (2) on March 3.

“It’s a quick turnaround obviously but we had planned for this and we knew essentially if we kept advancing over these next three weeks, we are going to play a game every two or three days,” said Porter. “That is why I was so bullish on getting every player on the team 90 minutes at the end of preseason.

“It was less about results and more about being physically ready for this difficult first three weeks. To start the year is tricky because you want to get off to a good start. We are juggling multiple competitions and we want to get off to a good start in both the league and Concacaf Champions Cup.

“You also want to keep building and to build you need continuity. I’ve always felt it is important to build that durability on your team early in the year.”

Striker Tomas Chancalay scored in the 54th minute and the Revolution held on to secure a 1-0 victory over CA Independiente on Wednesday night in leg one of the Concacaf Champions Cup at Estadio Universitario FC Stadium in Llano Marin, Panama. Goalkeeper Henrich Ravas recorded a clean sheet in his Revolution debut.

The Revolution begin MLS play on Saturday (7:30 p.m.) at D.C. United and will engage CA Independiente in the second leg of the home and homes series on Feb. 29 at Gillette Stadium.

“It’s a quick turnaround and the teams in the Champions Cup all have a similar turnaround,” said Porter. “We will file this game away and focus immediately in our preparation and recovery for D.C. and we have to throw ourselves into this first league game.”

The Revolution made their fifth appearance in the Concacaf Champions Cup after qualifying for the North American tournament with a sixth-place finish in the 2023 MLS regular season.

Porter employed several of last season’s regulars in his starting lineup, including captain Carles Gil, Matt Polster, Andrew Farrell, DeJuan Jones, Giacomo Vrioni and Chancalay. The key newcomers were Ravas and right back Nick Lima, who is holding down the position for the injured Brandon Bye.

“Ravas didn’t have a ton to do but there were crosses and counter shots from distances and he held everything in the few chances they did and looked comfortable and confident for a new signing,” said Porter. “Nick Lima put in a really good shift at right back and he’s a very solid balanced player.”

The Revs had a near miss in the ninth minute when Nacho Gil’s header dinged off the crossbar.

Nacho Gil misfired on a set up by Carles Gil in the 20th minute. Vrioni picked up the Revolution’s first yellow card in the 28th minute. Defender Mark-Anthony Kaye’s header off a corner kick from Carles Gil sailed wide the far post by inches in the 44th minute. The Revolution had seven shots and two shots on goal but the half ended in a scoreless tie.

The second half took on a more acrimonious tone with three yellow cards issued in the first eight minute. Chancalay picked up a yellow card in the 53rd minute and broke the deadlock in the 54th. Vrioni redirected a long feed with a header across the box to Chancalay, who applied the right boot to bounce shot off the turf that beat Independiente keeper Eddie Roberts to make it 1-0.

“Chancalay has goals in him,” said Porter. “He is very direct and he is always looking to shoot and he has a quality around goal so it was great to see him get his first of the season.”

Porter made his first substitutes in the 63rd minute, replacing Kaye and Nacho Gil with homegrowns Noel Buck and Esmir Bajraktarevic. Bobby Wood and Emmanuel Boateng replaced Chancalay and Vrioni in the 76th minute.

The Revolution open the 2024 campaign with a Concacaf Champions Cup round one home-and-home series match against CA Independiente on Wednesday (8 p.m.) at Estadio Universitario FC Stadium in Llano Marin, Panama.

The Revolution begin MLS play on Saturday (7:30 p.m.) at D.C. United and will engage CA Independiente in the second leg of the Champions Cup on Feb. 29 at Gillette Stadium.

“We were able to scout them and we actually sent someone to look at them and also we were able to get a couple of games (films) on them,” said Porter.

“So, we have a good read on what this team is about in terms of formation. There are the two formations they have utilized primarily and their game model and style of play and key players.”

The Revolution will be competing in the Champions Cup for the fifth time and several members of the current club advanced to the quarterfinals in 2022, the deepest Concacaf run in the team’s history.

The Champions Cup has been as elusive as the MLS Cup for the Revolution and Porter has an opportunity to secure both in his first season. Porter said he will put his best starting 11 on the field with the intent of advancing in the tournament. The team with the most combined goals in the two games will advance to the next round.

“Obviously we know it is a double leg and I told the group in terms of priority this week, the priority is to win both games,” said Porter. “I want to start the league (MLS) really well and I want to advance as far as we can in this cup competition.

“We have a tentative plan for both games and there will be some rotation. But we are going to put out a strong group and hopefully win both games. Get off to a good start in the first game and then hopefully get our first three (MLS) points in the league.”
Porter’s overriding objectives in the preseason were to install a new system, assimilate the newcomers, evaluate the available talent on the pitch and recognize the most optimum personnel combinations for the long haul.

The Revolution struggled through the early exhibition games and finished the run with a 0-0 draw against the Philadelphia Union, the team that eliminated New England in the first round of the 2023 MLS Cup playoffs.

“This is my tenth year going through preseason so I learned early on that the early results in preseason mean nothing,” said Porter. “I have had years where we won every preseason game and started the season poorly and I’ve had many years the opposite.

“It’s impossible to put much value in preseason, especially the early stages because you are playing essentially 22 guys. Ultimately it is what you are working on in training camp so the only result I that I really cared a lot about was the Philadelphia one.

“That was the first game where we played the top group 90 minutes against a very good team. None of the other games do I care at all about the result.”

The Revolution made a significant transaction on Monday when it loaned out midfielder Damian Rivera to the Tampa Rowdies of the USL for the 2024 season. The homegrown player from Cranston, R.I., had made 21 appearances with the Revolution and scored one goal.

The Revolution are flush with young talent like Noel Buck, Esmir Bajraktarevic and Jack Panayotou and the team needed to make room on the roster.

“He has been in the system a couple of years and so you have got to start to think about how he can grow,” said Porter. “He is not going to get major minutes with the first team.

“We have younger players coming up and they get games with Revs 2 which is great. But it is important for them to get a change of scenery. He can go out and play with a USL championship club and play away from our environment.

“We felt this was a good fit for him to go to Tampa. He has talent, he still has potential to play for us but he is now entering his third year and we felt a different environment was the best thing.”

There will be 14 national teams that will take the pitch from between June 13 and July 9, 2026 as part of World Cup 26 in Boston. The first five dates involved Group Stage matches and the sixth on Monday, June 29, will be in the Round of 32. The quarterfinal round will be played on Thursday, July 9.

“Today marks an exciting moment as the FIFA World Cup returns to Boston with seven matches played in Boston,” said Mike Loynd, President of Boston Soccer 26. “We have an unprecedented opportunity to bring our community together in celebration of the world’s most popular sport.”

The World Cup 26 tournament, in its totality, will consist of 104 matches involving 48 national teams in 16 host cities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The FIFA World Cup will be played out for the fourth time in the United States and the second in the men’s competition. FIFA brought the women’s World Cup to the United States in 1999 and 2003.

Boston was a host city in 1994 with six matches played at the old Foxboro Stadium. The highlight of the meet was in the quarterfinal round when eventual runner-up Italy defeated Spain, 2-1, to earn a spot in the semifinals. There were 53.400 fans packed into the old barn on Route 1 for the game.

The popularity of the 1994 World Cup, that played at venues across the United States, aided in the creation of Major League Soccer, which went online in 1996. The New England Revolution are an original MLS franchise.

“We are ecstatic with today’s news that Greater Boston will be hosting seven FIFA World Cup matches in the summer of 2026,” said Martha Sheridan, President & CEO of Meet Boston.

“This is the most iconic and impactful sporting event on the planet, putting our destination on the global stage while injecting hundreds of millions of dollars into our regional visitor economy.”

Kraft Sports & Entertainment has been expanding Gillette Stadium’s use as a sports venue beyond hosting New England Patriots and Revolution home games. Gillette Stadium made college football history on Dec. 9 when it hosted the 124th Army-Navy game before a sold-out crowd. It was the first Army Navy game to be played in Massachusetts and third outside the Mid-Atlantic region.

“Massachusetts is thrilled to welcome the many thousands of fans and visitors from around the world to our great state in the summer of 2026 for a truly unforgettable event,” said Mass. Governor Maura Healey, who was also involved with the Army-Navy game.

Ravas has the experience, size, and athleticism to be a top shelf-MLS goalkeeper, but in choosing to settle in New England he has two very tough acts to follow.

“I wanted to come here for this challenge and step up my career,” said Ravas. “I want to get the best out of me and build up my career in this league and here in America.”

Since 2020, the Revolution’s back end was manned by two of the most dominant goalkeepers in the MLS, Matt Turner and Djordje Petrovic, both of whom crossed the Atlantic to play in the English Premier League.

Turner was the 2021 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year and a starter on the U.S. Men’s National Team when he left to compete for Arsenal in the EPL. That was a huge step up in class for an MLS walk-on from New Jersey who played collegiately at Fairfield.

Former Revolution head coach and sporting director Bruce signed Petrovic to replace Turner June 12, 2022, and the Serbian national performed above and beyond expectations. Despite beginning his MLS tenure well into the 2022 season, Petrovic finished second in the Goalkeeper of the Year voting.

Petrovic was already an MLS All-Star and the favorite to win the 2023 Goalkeeper of the Year award when he transferred out of MLS to compete for Chelsea in the EPL. While losing Turner and Petrovic was tough, the Revolution realized a substantial windfall in transfer fees.

Ravas was acquired on Jan. 6 from the Polish club Widzew Lodz for an undisclosed fee and was tendered an MLS contract through the 2026 season with a team option for 2027. Ravas, 26, is a native of Senica, Slovakia, and a back-up goalkeeper on the Slovakian National Team. He will occupy an international roster spot in 2024.

Revolution first-year coach Caleb Porter and sporting director Curt Onalfo are counting on Ravas to make his own mark in MLS, but preferably in the fashion of his predecessors.

“For me there were better opportunities here coming from Poland and a new kind of challenge,” said Ravas. “I was happy to join this league and try and make my name here.”

The Revolution’s promising 2023 season turned into a train wreck after Petrovic left and Arena resigned pending an MLS investigation. The team floundered in the final months under two interim head coaches and two ineffective goalkeepers, Earl Edwards Jr. (3-4-3) and Jacob Jackson (1-1-0).

“Once I kind of heard that New England was interested in me and, once I had done my research, my mind was made up,” said Ravas.

One of the most prudent staff personnel decisions Porter made upon taking control of the team was to retain goalkeeper coach Kevin Hitchcock, a proven instructor with an eye for talent and a stickler for details.

“I know Hitchie is really excited about him,” said Porter. “He knows goalkeepers better than anybody and he’s very happy with Ravas. He sees a lot of potential in him.”

Hitchcock, who grew up in the Canning Town section of East London, established his pitch credentials as a keeper while climbing the ladder to the English Premier League. Hitchcock spent the majority of his playing career at Chelsea F.C., where he won two FA Cups and totaled 96 appearances from 1998-2001.

Hitchcock made the transition into coaching beginning with Watford F.C. in 2001. Hitchcock enhanced his coaching portfolio through top programs in England, Qatar, and India before landing in Foxboro.

The Revolution are two weeks into training camp at the club’s facility at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., and have played two preseason games against New York Red Bulls and FC Cincinnati. Ravas has developed a sound working relationship with Hitchcock and he has two overriding reasons to follow the coach’s lead. Those reasons are Turner and Petrovic.

“He is very demanding in a very positive way,” said Ravas. “He let me know when I come in here that there are a few changes I need to make in my game, which I already knew I needed to make.

“I am trying to listen and learn from him and do whatever he wants me to do because I know he can make me a better goalkeeper. So, our relationship has been good and growing nicely. I just want to do what they want me to do.”

The Revolution hit the road in Florida for their last two preseason games. The Revolution engage Orlando City SC in Orlando next Saturday and the Philadelphia Union at the Joe DiMaggio Sports Complex in Clearwater, Fla.

The Revolution will open the season in Panama for Round One of the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup against CA Independiente at Estadio Universitario FC on Wednesday, Feb. 21. The Revs open the MLS season at D.C United on Feb. 24.

Kessler, 26, is rebuilding his career in a new system under a new head coach after missing 24 straight games last season with a hamstring injury that required surgery.

Kessler had conditioning and preventive strategies in place before the Revolution embarked on a new era under Caleb Porter at the club’s training facility at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.

“I feel really good and I think the build-up so far in preseason has been good and I am looking to playing more and more,” said Kessler. “I started with 45 minutes and the next time is 60 and we will continue to build on that.

“I kind of feel like this is great. I am building into the season properly and looking forward to it.”

Kessler returned to play the final three regular season games and two MLS Cup playoff games against Philadelphia. The Revolution were a club in turmoil in the final three months, having lost head coach and sporting director Bruce Arena under a dark cloud at the start of August.

Despite his history of injuries and damage control going on in the front office, the Revolution tendered Kessler a two-year contract extension using targeted allocation money through the 2025 season with a one-year club option in 2026.

“I meant a lot to me,” said Kessler. “It meant that they thought of me as a player that was here for the long-term and that they still believed in me.”

Porter has won MLS Cups with Portland and Columbus so he has a track record of building a back line to meet the challenges of MLS. Kessler has seen systematic alterations at the back end but remains part of the Revolution’s Big Three along with MLS ironman Andrew Farrell and the durable Dave Romney.

“The new system requires a guy that is good on the ball and good defensively,” said Kessler. “We have talked about building with two, building with three and building different ways and on the ball, be prepared to build in different ways.

“Defensively we are going to be a team that likes to press. You are going to be one-on-one at times and you are going to have to be comfortable doing that. That is what I have been presented with so far.”

Romney is a nine-year MLS veteran who came to New England in a trade from Nashville on Jan. 6, 2023. Romney turned into the most important off-season acquisition Arena made. Romney became the second player in club history to play every minute of the 34-regular season games for a total of 3,060 minutes.

“I played mostly with Dave last year and with him a lot this preseason too,” said Kessler. “I think we have good chemistry and he is a great player. He is good on the ball and defensively as well. So, we have been playing next to each other a bunch.”

Since being taken in the first round out of Virginia in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft, Kessler has been surrounded by exceptional players. He’s enjoyed the benefit of playing between two of the most dynamic outside backs in MLS, DeJuan Jones, and Brandon Bye, who is expected to return from knee surgery this summer.

Kessler has also played in front of two of the top keepers in MLS, Matt Turner and Djordje Petrovic, both of whom were lost to the English Premier League.

Keeper was a priority for new sporting director Curt Onalfo who acquired Henrich Ravas last month. Ravas is an internationally tested keeper who has played in England, Poland and with the Slovakian national team.

“Henrich looks sharp and he looks good and he’s got good size,” said Kessler. “It is a small sample size I have had so far but I’m impressed by what I’ve seen of him. If he does half as well as those other guys, he will be a great addition to the team.”

The Revolution have already played one preseason game against the New York Red Bulls and will host FC Cincinnati on Thursday. The Revolution engage Orlando City SC in Orlando on Feb. 10 and the Philadelphia Union at the Joe DiMaggio Sports Complex in Clearwater, Fla.

The Revolution will open the season in Panama for Round One of the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup against CA Independiente at Estadio Universitario FC on Wednesday Feb. 21. The Revs open the MLS season at D.C United on Feb. 24.

“It is a hectic way to start the season,” said Kessler. “There are a lot of games early but we are building and preparing for that so I’m sure there is going to be some rotation.

“But it is an aggressive way to start the year and I think we will be ready for it.”

Jones, who is attending the U.S. National Team’s January camp, has been an indispensable mainstay at his position since being selected in the first round (11th overall) out of Michigan State in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft.

“DeJuan is the ideal profile in our game model and I am very pleased he will remain a key part of our team for the foreseeable future,” said first-year head coach Caleb Porter. “His elite athleticism and range to play box to box as an attacking threat and one-versus-one defender make him a valuable asset on our team.”

Jones has made 125 appearances and 111 starts with eight postseason starts in his five seasons in New England. Jones is an offensive-minded back who has amassed six goals and 20 assists. Jones had to up his offensive game over the final three months of the 2023 season when right back Brandon Bye suffered a torn ACL on Aug. 3.

“I am delighted to announce my decision to extend my journey with the Revolution,” said Jones. “I have given my all for this club for the past five seasons and I am eager to contribute more success as we work towards our ultimate goal of winning the MLS Cup.”

RICH THOMPSON

Porter, who won MLS titles with Portland and Columbus, began the process of putting his unit together on the Revolution’s second day of training camp on Tuesday at the club’s indoor facility at Patriot Place.

“We are focused on ourselves and being the best version of ourselves and just getting better,” said Porter. “Everyday there is a lesson and everyday there is improvement and it is not just the soccer tactically, it’s the chemistry and the unity and the cohesion we are building every single day.

“In the first meeting I talked about the key things to being a championship club and yes, it is the talent, but they don’t need more talent to win an MLS Cup. You need a better locker room and your performance environment needs to be a top performance environment.”

The session appeared chaotic with multiple drills taking place in every corner of the facility while the goalkeepers set up shop in the back corner. Porter wore out his vocal cords with a steady stream of verbal instructions while Pablo Moreira, his chief assistant with the Columbus Crew, directed traffic in the middle of the pitch.

Installing a new system takes time and Porter wants a working structure in place before the club heads to the Sunshine State to resume training camp at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. The Revolution play their first preseason game against the New York Red Bulls on Jan. 24 in Bradenton.

“It is very important to be smart in how you build the group up,” said Porter. “Obviously it is my 10th year in the league so you learn a certain way of working and building up the tactical piece and we have a way to build it up.

“You have to build ideas before you can play a game and two days in, it is a very good group. I am all in and when I coach, I coach and get in there and there are some things we need to teach these guys.

“Not how to play the game but how we want them to play the game. I think there are some things we are working on tactically wise and we will build that into a scrimmage. Then, we will flip to the defensive side and those concepts.”

Captain Carles

Porter made it clear in his opening press conference that team captain Carles Gil would again be the centerpiece on the Revolution’s offense. Gil got the message.

“It is a new beginning for everyone with the new coach and everyone is excited to have a good year,” said Gil. “For this we need a good preseason and train with intensity.

“To have a very good chemistry we have to adapt to him and him to us so we can be ready for the start of the season. As the captain I will try to be a better player every day and try to lead and to learn for him.”

Gil is the most accomplished set-up man at the 10-position in MLS, but last year, because of injuries and international commitments, became the team’s designated finisher. Gil won the Revolution’s coveted Golden Boot award as the team’s leading scorer with 11 goals in 32 games, with 29 starts.

Gil still maintained his role as the Revolution’s rainmaker with 15 assists, third-best in MLS. Gil became the first player in Revolution history to have multiple seasons with 10 goals and 10 assists.

The 2021 recipient of the MLS Landon Donovan MVP Award and three-time all-star has recorded 68 assists that includes the regular season and the playoffs since 2019, the most in MLS.

“He had a pretty good year last year and I think he is pretty consistent,” said Porter. “I hesitate putting more on him but at the end of the day, he is a key player and we need our individuals, our top guys, to perform and produce.

“I think can squeeze and a little more out of him and I think we will highlight him and his strengths even more so the way we play our 10. I have never had a 10 not produce a lot of goals and watching the first couple of days, he’s as good as it gets in this league.”

The other Revolution player that was required to take on multiple roles was veteran midfielder Matt Polster, who started 31 games and logged 2,738 minutes. Poster is a defensive midfielder who had to double as outside back when the injuries and poor play began to pile up at the end of the season.

“It was a little different last year but I’ve always been that player with the mindset to do whatever it takes to help the team win and I will do the same this year,” said Polster.

Porter brought in long-time assistant Pablo Moreira and former Revolution player Blair Gavin, who was recently the head coach of FC Tulsa in the USL. Moreira was a fixture at Porter’s side with the Portland Timbers and the Columbus Crew and was part of two MLS Cup championship teams. Gavin worked with Porter in Columbus before taking the head coaching job at Tulsa.

Porter retained Clint Peay, who built Revolution II into a substantial feeder system and served as the Revolution’s interim head coach in the difficult final months of the 2023 season. Porter also retained goalkeeper coach Kevin Hitchcock, who oversaw the development of Matt Turner, the 2021 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, and 2023 MLS All-Star Djordje Petrovic before they transferred to the English Premier League.

Hitchcock is familiar with incumbent keepers Earl Edwards Jr. and Jacob Jackson and will play a key role in integrating Slovakian import Heinrich Ravas, who signed with the team on Jan. 6.

Revolution Sporting Director Cury Onalfo announced two front office promotions, elevating Chris Tierney to Assistant Sporting Director and Remi Roy to Technical Director.

Ravas was acquired from the Polish club Widzew Lodz for an undisclosed fee and signed to an MLS contract through the 2026 season with a team option for 2027. Ravas, 26, is a rangy 6-5, 192-pound native of Senica, Slovakia and he will occupy an international roster spot in 2024.

Ravas appeared in 61 games over three seasons for Widzew Lodz and in 161 in seven professional seasons. He is also a member of the Slovakia National team.

“Henrich Ravas is an experienced goalkeeper who has performed well over his three seasons in Poland, showing progress each year to develop into one of the league’s best shot stoppers,” said Revolution Sporting Director Curt Onalfo. “His physical traits and top flight European experience should allow for a seamless transition to MLS.”

The void at the Revolution’s back end was created when Serbian Djordje Petrovic, a 2023 MLS All-Star and a favorite to win Goalkeeper of the Year, transferred to Chelsea FC of the English Premier League on Aug. 25. Petrovic started 22 games with a 11-4-7 record, seven clean sheets, and 1.23 goals against average.

The Revolution acquired keeper Tomas Vaclik of the Czech Republic as a backstop on Aug. 26 but he never saw the pitch. Petrovic’s back-ups, Earl Edwards Jr. (3-4-3) and Jacob Jackson (1-1-0), were ineffective in the closing months.

RICH THOMPSON