Revolution v. Dynamo: Three Thoughts

The New England Revolution opened their 2016 campaign with a wild 3-3 draw with the Houston Dynamo. There's plenty to talk about from this weekend's season opener, so let's get to it.

1. Beware of the Revolution when they’re on the counter.

The Revolution scored three goals on Sunday afternoon with the first two coming only seconds after winning the ball. The game’s opening tally came courtesy of Diego Fagundez, who chested down a poor Dynamo clearance before hitting a beautiful volley in the 3rd minute. Charlie Davies was responsible for the Revs’ second tally, as he took two shots before beating goalkeeper Joe Willis in the 52nd minute. The chance began when Jose Goncalves collected a loose ball. Less than 15 seconds later, that same ball was in the back of the net. The Revs conceded a lot of possession in their season opener, but they were deadly on the counter.

2. The defense is a work in progress.

With the bulk of last year’s defensive core returning, there was optimism about how the back line would perform. That optimism shrank on Sunday as the team conceded three goals. It’s not just the number that has Revs fans concerned, it’s also the manner in which the goals were scored. The first came via a communication breakdown between Bobby Shuttleworth and Jose Goncalves while the second and third were due to a lack of organization. Goals happen, but the ones that were scored this weekend were far too soft.

3. Determination pays off.

Admit it, you thought the game was over in the 93rd minute (and it virtually was). However, the Revs launched several desperation crosses into a penalty box full of Dynamo defenders. The persistence paid off as Daigo Kobayashi nodded in a Fagundez feed in the game's dying seconds. It was Kobayashi’s first-ever tally in Revs colors and it couldn’t have come at a better time. In a game where defense was optional and the referee was inconsistent, a 3-3 tie was a fair result.