In Cincinnati, when the New England Revolution face FC Cincinnati on Saturday, both teams will have just played closely matched games where they secured 2-1 victories with late-game penalty goals during stoppage time last weekend.
In the match between Cincinnati and Nashville SC, Cincinnati's forward Kevin Deschner found the back of the net within the first minute of stoppage time. Meanwhile, New England's midfielder Carles Gil secured a double with his decisive goal coming seven minutes into stoppage time, helping his team overcome the visiting New York Red Bulls.
Cincinnati (3-2-1, 10 points) secured their initial away victory of the campaign, whereas New England (1-3-1, 4 points) registered their first match triumph in five attempts.
The victory was crucial for the Orange and Blue, coming into the game after going winless over their last three matches (which included games in the CONCACAF competitions). They had minimal practice time to develop their stamina and rhythm.
In certain instances from our past few matches, particularly, we lacked sufficient urgency when approaching the goal, with numerous players preferring to receive the ball at their feet rather than beyond the defense," explained Cincinnati’s head coach Pat Noonan, who was selected in the first round by New England back in 2003. "There were not enough individuals ready to sprint towards the goal, putting aside personal comfort for the benefit of creating opportunities for their teammates. We addressed this issue leading into the recent match, and I believe there has been improvement.
FCC enhanced their performance near the goal against Nashville, producing 13 passes into the opponent’s penalty area. This number equals the total from their last two games combined and represents the highest for a single match this season.
Noonan further explained, 'The emphasis should not be on acting recklessly.' We must carefully consider the timing, our positioning, and what is essential for aiding us in creation.'
In their match against the Red Bulls, Gil secured both goals through set pieces, marking New England's initial scores this season that weren't due to an own goal. He executed a free kick during the first half and later sealed the victory with a penalty kick into the left corner as the game entered its 97th minute, earning New England their first triumph of 2025.
Those are the things you expect from your star player," stated Revs' head coach Caleb Porter about Gil. "He positioned himself well and posed a threat near the goal. That's crucial. He has the ability to score and possesses talent.
Despite the Orange and Blue experiencing success over the past three years in MLS, they have struggled when facing the Revolution.
After losing the inaugural match of this rivalry during Cincinnati's debut season in MLS in 2019, the Revs have maintained an impressive record of 5 wins, 1 draw, and 3 losses in their past nine encounters with Cincy.
--Mike Petraglia, Field-Level Media
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