Revolution v. Dynamo: Three Takeaways

Has everyone recovered?

In one of the oddest games in club history, the New England Revolution endured two weather stoppages to defeat the Houston Dynamo 2-0 on Saturday night. It might not erase memories of those MLS Cup games (sorry for mentioning them), but it was a solid late-season win. So what can we take away from such a strange evening? Let's take a look.

1. The Revs were better at coping with the frequent breaks. When a game is subjected to two separate stoppages that total two hours and 50 minutes, it can be hard for teams to find a rhythm. This was certainly the case on Saturday night as the stop-and-go action affected both the Revs and Dynamo. For much of the game, successful passes and dangerous attacking opportunities were a rarity. Midway through the second half, Jose Goncalves scored a wonder goal that changed the flow of the game. From then on out, the Revs were the better side as the Dynamo looked drained from the elongated shenanigans.

2. It’s a good win. Saturday’s game could’ve easy gone a different way but the Revs grinded out a well-deserved win. The three points helped the Revs stay competitive in a crowded Eastern Conference, which promotes locker-room positivity heading into another bye week. The win is proof that the Revs have mental toughness, which isn’t something that could be said a few weeks back. Of course, strength of mind is a huge asset in the playoffs.

3. The competition is real. Teal Bunbury and Juan Agudelo on the bench isn’t a sight I would’ve expected at the beginning of the season. That said, Diego Fagundez and Kelyn Rowe have put in performances worthy of spots in the starting XI. Will Agudelo’s goal, which actually came while the 22-year-old was playing as a lone striker, weigh on Jay Heaps’ mind? Will Bunbury’s tireless engine and defensive play earn him consideration? There’s a lot of uncertainty in the midfield as the Revs head into the home stretch, and that’s actually a good thing.