FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The hectic schedule this week provides at least one silver lining for the New England Revolution: it provides an immediate opportunity to wipe away the memory of Saturday's 1-0 defeat to Toronto FC.
That particular setback left the Revs disappointed and frustrated after they allowed an early goal to Luis Silva and failed to translate their ample amount of possession into an equalizer against the Reds.
“That was really a tough result for us,” Revolution goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth told MLSsoccer.com. “In the second half, we had a lot of chances and we were unfortunate not to put one away. Like Jay [Heaps, Revolution coach] said, we have to move on right away, try to put it behind us and try to get three points on the road.”
Although the Revs will do their best to push aside any lingering thoughts about the defeat, the setback may provide another cautionary tale and another piece of inspiration to take forward as they prepare to face Montreal on Wednesday night.
“We knew it was going to be a quick turnaround with the busy week coming up,” Revolution striker Blake Brettschneider said. “The Toronto game is a disappointment for us. We definitely expected three points at home. We gave up the early goal and we couldn't get one back. It'll be another learning lesson to help us move forward and take care of business in Montreal on Wednesday.”
Goals on the docket?
Montreal enters this midweek meeting with a well-established habit of conceding goals (league-worst 38 goals allowed in 21 games) and playing a rather open game filled with opportunities for both teams.
That particular penchant for expressive soccer fits nicely into how the Revs like to operate, according to coach Jay Heaps.
“That's where we'd like to see the game go,” Heaps said. “That's what we like to get into. We like to throw punches. They like to throw punches. Now that I said that, it's probably going to be 0-0.”
Imbongo in the fold
Heaps will soon have the services of Dimitry Imbongo at his disposal after the 22-year-old joined the club on a free transfer on Monday afternoon.
The ex-1860 Munich and SV Darmstadt 98 striker must receive his P-1 work visa before he can feature in matches, but Revolution general manager Michael Burns said his arrival will give the side more depth in attack.
“Dimitry will give us another option up front and provide us with more depth in our attack,” Burns said in a press release. “When he was in training with us last month, he fit in well with our players and now we’re looking forward to his arrival back to Foxboro this time on a permanent basis.”
