3 takeaways from the Revolution’s 2-1 win over New York Pink Bulls

New England Revolution

New England’s first win of the season got here because of a stoppage time winner from captain Carles Gil.

By Hayden Chicken

March 29, 2025 | 6:42 PM

4 minutes to learn

The Revolution obtained two essential objectives from captain Carles Gil — together with a penalty kick deep into stoppage time — to realize a 2-1 victory over the New York Pink Bulls on a wet afternoon at Gillette Stadium on Saturday.

It answered New England followers’ duel prayers of attaining not solely a objective from an precise Revolution participant (having solely scored by way of personal objective beforehand in 2025), but additionally the staff’s first win of the season.

Granted, it merely takes the Revolution’s file to 1-3-1 on the season, nonetheless adequate for thirteenth place within the Jap Convention. But it alleviates no less than a number of the stress and unfavourable vitality that had been swirling round Foxborough, if just for per week.

Gil, New England’s 32-year-old playmaker, scored a luxurious free kick within the twenty eighth minute of the primary half to provide the house staff the lead. New York managed an equalizer proper on the finish of the primary half because of Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting capping an efficient Pink Bulls counterattack, and the sport remained deadlocked till a VAR assessment handed Gil and the Revolution a late probability from the penalty spot.

Calmly stepping up in entrance of nervous house supporters ensconced in The Fort, Gil despatched Pink Bulls goalkeeper Carlos Coronel the flawed method to discover the successful objective within the 97th minute.

Listed below are a number of takeaways from a long-awaited first win:

It was a a lot better efficiency from New England’s assault.

Greater than some other subject, the staff’s early defeats and lack of outcomes may very well be chalked as much as a corresponding lack of offense. The Revolution entered Saturday with a microscopic anticipated objectives price within the previous 4 video games (1.6 mixed xG per FB Ref).

On Saturday, the Revolution exceeded the whole season’s value of xG in a single efficiency. By the top of the sport, New England’s xG was 2.09. And whereas “anticipated objectives” as a statistic is just not a singular marker of attacking prowess, it’s nonetheless an excellent indicator of fundamental chance-creation. From that standpoint, Saturday was a vastly improved exhibiting.

After all, nobody is predicting an MLS Cup triumph simply but. It’s a single win, however a significant one within the context of New England’s robust begin to the season.

“We’re not out of the woods but,” cautioned Revolution head coach Caleb Porter. “It’s a win. It’s nice, the gamers’ confidence can bubble up just a little bit. They depart with an excellent feeling. We get a pair objectives, individuals cease speaking about us for per week, and but we’ve to go and get a outcome the following recreation too. It’s only one outcome.”

Revolution regarded way more harmful using width.

For all the deserved plaudits Gil obtained for his brace of objectives on Saturday, he was not essentially the most concerned participant within the recreation by way of touches (as he usually is). That distinction belonged to proper again Ilay Feingold.

Feingold, 20, has regarded extra comfy in current video games on his favored proper aspect, and was combative defensively whereas additionally providing dribbling and crossing capacities going ahead. Mere involvement within the recreation (touches on the ball) is just not at all times an indicator of significance (nobody would argue he was extra essential within the win than Gil), however Feingold’s efficiency displayed Porter’s ways — predicated on attacking from huge positions — working extra successfully than in earlier weeks.

On the left aspect, 17-year-old Peyton Miller returned from damage to make his 2025 debut. The Connecticut native regarded harmful in possession, charging to the top line to make cut-back crosses and in addition join New England’s protection with the midfield and the assault.

Farther ahead, each wingers — Luca Langoni on the correct and Ignatius Ganago on the left — had productive days. Langoni possesses higher velocity than a lot of the defenders he’ll face, and confirmed it once more in opposition to New York. In actual fact, New England arguably ought to’ve had further objectives from Ganago — a number of low crosses had been served as much as him with a transparent lane to shoot — however the 26-year-old Cameroonian worldwide was unable to complete on every event.

Nonetheless, Ganago stored hustling proper into stoppage time, finally getting his reward when he drew the penalty kick that Gil promptly transformed to win the sport.

The defensive press carried out effectively, however dropped off within the second half.

Whereas 34-year-old Maxi Urruti is just not the standard first alternative heart ahead — the Argentine is filling in for the injured Leo Campana — he displayed a refreshing capability to not solely contribute within the assault but additionally as a defender.

He made a number of steals, and was credited with six recoveries of possession per FotMob stats (third on the staff behind Polster and Gil). Whereas Urruti skied his greatest probability of the day (a volley off a deflected header to the again submit on a free kick), his versatility was helpful as New England regarded to manage the sport, which stays a most well-liked Porter technique.

“I believe it’s coming alongside additionally for the press on the ball,” Gil mentioned of the staff’s enchancment defensively. “We need to get better the ball [quickly] to do these assaults. I believe we had an excellent first half.

“Perhaps the second half [it was] nonetheless related,” Gil acknowledged of the staff’s slowdown for a lot of the ultimate 45 minutes. As was a troublesome pattern in 2024, New England usually struggled to recreate the identical defensive depth for a full 90 minutes. That gave the impression to be the case once more on Saturday, with New York producing extra possibilities.

Nonetheless, the Pink Bulls had been unable to notch a second objective, leaving the door open for late drama. Gil was pleased to oblige when referred to as upon to take the decisive penalty kick.

“We got here again after halftime and we weren’t the staff that we had been [in the first half],” he admitted. “However in the long run we suffered and [got] the penalty, so I believe it was a win that we deserved.”

The Revolution will likely be again on the highway subsequent week, going through FC Cincinnati at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 5.