FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Even for Major League Soccer’s most talented players, scoring in three consecutive games is no small feat. It’s even rarer for a player to score in their first three appearances in the league. But Dor Turgeman is a rare talent.
With his late goal in this past weekend’s season finale against Chicago Fire FC, Turgeman became the first player in Revolution history and just the 10th in 30 seasons of MLS to find the back of the net in each of his first three appearances.
Turgeman’s 96th-minute header in the Revs’ 2-2 draw with the Fire was once again assisted by Carles Gil, and marked the third consecutive match featuring the Gil-to-Turgeman combo. After a tough season for the Revolution, the budding chemistry between the captain and the club’s newest striker offers some excitement for what’s to come.
“Three goals in three games. It’s crazy, but you can see it’s not just the goal, but the way he scores. He’s a killer,” Gil said of Turgeman, whose three goals have come with his left foot, his right foot, and his head. “Maybe he arrived too late, but it is what it is. And obviously he's a very good player, a young player, so he’s important for the club.”
Despite playing in just three games, Turgeman finished the season tied for fourth on the Revolution’s goal-scoring charts, level with Ilay Feingold and Ignatius Ganago. With four goal contributions overall after logging a goal and an assist in his debut against Atlanta United in September, Turgeman has shown just how goal-hungry he is – whether it comes off his foot or with his help.
Although the Revs conceded soon after Turgeman’s late-game strike gave them the lead against Chicago – an unfortunate Turgeman own goal – it was a moment that gave the fans at Gillette Stadium a reason to be optimistic for the future. It was Turgeman’s relentless search for a goal which made interim head coach Pablo Moreira especially excited about the striker’s ability.
“He just kept fighting and then ultimately gets a goal. That's what you want out of your nine, because it's not always going to be perfect and pretty. And from that standpoint, I love how he just gutted it out and then ultimately finds a goal. That's what great nines do, and he's shown that,” said Moreira. “I'm just happy for him and hopefully he continues that success next year.”
For Leo Campana, who was the recipient of Turgeman’s assist against Atlanta, working alongside the Israeli international up top has been an exciting experience so far, and it’s a relationship he hopes to keep building next season. While Campana hopes to score more goals himself, he’s happy now to do it with Turgeman by his side.
“He’s a good player. I feel good playing with everyone up front: Dor, [Tomás] Chancalay, Luca [Langoni], Capi. I hope we can continue good things with him and the others in the future. I’m really happy for the goals and I hope we can keep it like that for next year,” Campana said.
