FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Juan Agudelo and Diego Fagundez both scored for the second straight week to guide the New England Revolution to a comfortable 2-0 victory over Toronto FC on a rainy and raw Saturday night at Gillette Stadium.
After coming off the bench to score on his Revolution debut last weekend in Houston, Agudelo made his first start with the club against TFC and once again sealed the full three points with a late goal. And once again it was Fagundez who scored what proved to be the game winner as he took his goal-scoring streak up to three games with a fantastic strike midway through the first half.
Goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth needed to make just two saves to record his fifth shutout of the season and lift the Revs (4-4-4, 16 pts.) to back-to-back wins for the first time this season. Toronto FC (1-7-4, 7 pts.) suffered its fifth straight loss and had its winless run extended to 10 games (0-6-4), but it was the first time this season the Canadian club was defeated by more than a single goal.
Fagundez brought the home fans to their feet in the 23rd minute when he gave the Revolution a deserved 1-0 lead. Tierney’s left-wing cross deep to the back post found a lurking Fagundez, who lashed a full volley back across the face goal and into the far-side netting.
Toronto’s best chance of the first half arrived in the 15th minute when Jeremy Brockie pounced on a Stephen McCarthy turnover and raced in alone, but Shuttleworth was quick off his line to stifle the shot.
Carrying a lead into halftime for the first time this season, the Revs went about the task of trying to extend their advantage after the break. They almost did so in the 60th minute when Lee Nguyen struck the underside of the crossbar with a long-range drive before Tierney’s effort moments later was saved by Joe Bendik.
Insurance finally arrived in the third minute of stoppage time when Saer Sene received a throw-in from Kelyn Rowe before dancing his way along the endline and sipping a pass to Agudelo, who redirected the ball into the far upper corner to put the result beyond doubt.
The Revs will begin their 2013 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup campaign on Tuesday, May 28, when they’ll visit the affiliate Rochester Rhinos (USL PRO) at Sahlen’s Stadium. League action resumes the following weekend when the Revs host the defending MLS Cup champion LA Galaxy at Gillette Stadium on Sunday, June 2.
Toronto FC at New England Revolution
May 25, 2013 – Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, Mass.)
Toronto FC 0, New England Revolution 2
Scoring Summary:
NE – Diego Fagundez (Chris Tierney) 23
NE – Juan Agudelo (Saer Sene) 93+
New England Revolution: Bobby Shuttleworth, Chris Tierney, Jose Goncalves, Stephen McCarthy, Andrew Farrell, Juan Agudelo, Lee Nguyen, Scott Caldwell (Andy Dorman 82), Juan Toja (Kelyn Rowe 61), Diego Fagundez, Jerry Bengtson (Saer Sene 72)
Substitutes Not Used: Darrius Barnes, Chad Barrett, Kalifa Cisse, Matt Reis
STATS: Shots 11, Shots on Target 4, Corner Kicks 6, Saves 2, Fouls 15, Offsides 0, Passes 410 (76.1%) Possession 49.3%
Toronto FC: Joe Bendik, Doneil Henry, Ryan Richter, Darren O’Dea, Steven Caldwell, Jeremy Hall, Matias Laba, Reggie Lambe (Jonathan Osorio 46), Jeremy Brockie, Luis Silva, Robert Earnshaw (Hogan Ephraim 68)
Substitutes Not Used: Gale Agbossoumonde, Quillan Roberts, Andrew Wiedeman, Kyle Bekker, Ashtone Morgan
STATS: Shots 12, Shots on Target 2, Corner Kicks 4, Saves 2, Fouls 11, Offsides 1, Passes 407 (74.7%), Possession 50.7%
* Note that all statistics are unofficial as supplied by Opta
Misconduct Summary:
TOR – Darren O’Dea (caution) 29
NE – Juan Toja (caution) 39
TOR – Matias Laba (caution) 68
NE – Lee Nguyen (caution) 80
NE – Saer Sene (caution) 88
TOR – Luis Silva (caution) 91+
Referee: Ismail Elfath
Assistant Referees: Craig Lowry (AR1), Matthew Kreitzer (AR2)
Fourth Official: Silviu Petrescu
Weather: 60 degrees and rain
Attendance: 10,711
Team Records
New England Revolution – 4-4-4 (16 pts.)
New York Red Bulls – 1-7-4 (7 pts.)
NOTES:
- With the win, the Revolution moved to 5-3-6 in MLS regular-season action against Toronto
- The win also moves the Revs’ home record against Toronto to 5-1-2
- Saturday’s win extended the Revs’ home unbeaten streak against Eastern Conference opponents this season to four games (2-0-2)
- The Revs also pushed their shutout streak to 215 minutes … the last goal surrendered came on May 11 against New York
- Saturday’s match was the first of three meetings with Toronto this season … the teams play two more games in August to close out the series
- The Revs scored their first goal in the first half – other than a Brandon Barklage own goal in New York – in Saturday’s win against Toronto
- The first-half goal also marked the first time the Revs have held a lead at halftime this season
- With a start against Toronto on Saturday, defender Chris Tierney made his 100th career MLS start … Tierney becomes just the 12th player in club history to make at least 100 starts … Tierney has made 111 career appearances, all with the Revs
- Tierney also recorded his 18h career assist, moving him into a tie for ninth place in club history … it was also Tierney’s ninth career game-winning assist, good for third all-time in club history
- Diego Fagundez scored his season-high and team-leading fourth (eighth of his career) goal of the season … the forward has now scored in three consecutive games
- Fagundez becomes the first player to score in three consecutive games since Saer Sene in 2012
- Juan Agudelo scored his first goal at Gillette Stadium and second as a member of the Revs … Agudelo was credited with his first goal against Houston on May 18
- Bobby Shuttleworth posted his fifth shutout of the season, a new season-high, in the 2-0 win on Saturday
- Taking away one 4-1 loss in New York, Shuttleworth has allowed just five goals in nine appearances this season
- Jose Goncalves made his 12th start of the season against Toronto and remains as the only member of the Revs to play in every minute of every game this season
- Scott Caldwell earned his fourth start of the season and first since May 8 against Real Salt Lake
