There aren’t many must-win MLS games played in March but this might be one of them.
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.”
