A fine balance has to be struck when it comes to MLS managers and coaches managing the various competitions. It has been a hectic month or so with midweek league games as well as two rounds of the US Open Cup.
The New England Revolution is slowly improving when it comes to league games, and so the Open Cup provides an unwelcome distraction, perhaps. Just how seriously will this competition be taken by Bruce Arena and co?
The Revs and NYCFC met last year in the playoffs and it was the latter who prevailed. Ronny Deila’s side, of course, went on to lift the MLS Cup. Both teams had to deal with the added stress of the Champions League earlier in the year and are still trying to get back on track.
It is the New Yorkers who have fared better thus far though they are currently second in the east whilst the Revs are down in ninth, below the playoff line.
Since the aforementioned CCL exit, NYCFC has gone unbeaten. Besides a hectic 5-4 win over Toronto FC, a lot of their results have seen solid defensive displays. It began with a 6-0 drubbing of RSL, and they put two unanswered goals past both D.C. United and the Crew also.
Focusing on the US Open Cup, Deila’s men entered the tournament at the same point as the Revs. They went fairly strong against lower league Rochester and NY; with early goals from Thiago Andrade and Heber getting the job done.
Turning attention to the Revolution, who will be the visitors in this fixture. They faced MLS opposition in the last round of the US Open Cup. FC Cincinnati made a lot of changes for FC Cincinnati while the Arena went fairly strong and it was evident on the scoreboard. Alvaro Barreal gave the side from Ohio the lead before an Adam Buksa brace and a Carles Gil hat-trick saw Cinci get swept aside.
New England then faced Cincinnati again this week, in the league this time around, and prevailed for a second time. It was a back-and-forth game with the final ebb coming from the Revs and, in particular, Tommy McNamara. Defender Jon Bell echoed the impact of that momentum: “It’s going to be good. I think that win was important for us, especially getting a road win.”
