Revolution v. Orlando City: Three Thoughts

The New England Revolution dominated Orlando City SC on Saturday night, collecting a 4-0 win over the visitors. Kei Kamara lead the way with his first career hat trick and Teal Bunbury capped the night with his sixth goal of the campaign. Here are three thoughts from the game.

1. Don’t let the final stretch allow you to forgot about how disappointing this season has been. The Revs played one of their best games of the year on Saturday and history tells us that there could be more to come. Their chances of making the playoffs are bleak but the Revolution do have two games against both the Montreal Impact and Atlanta United FC, two teams that are hovering around the red line. If the Revs sneak into the playoffs and make some noise then all is forgiven. If they don’t then the season should be viewed as a failure and a few positive results won’t change that.
2. Lee Nguyen is quality. Kamara stole the spotlight on Saturday by nabbing a hat trick that put him over the 100 goal mark. While that was certainly impressive, Nguyen’s contributions shouldn’t be overlooked. The creative midfielder is the first MLS player to grab four assists in a single game since Landon Donovan in 2012. With 14 helpers on the year, (which puts him even with Victor Vazquez as best in the league) Nguyen is quietly putting together a stellar season. Many Revs fans have been critical of the attacker but he’s still one of the best chance creators in MLS and the Revs are lucky to have him.
3. I’m a big fan of Claude Dielna. When Dielna signed with the Revs, I didn’t know what to think. The center back had size, age, and pedigree on his side, but it was a bit concerning that his career consisted of so many loans. In his three games with the Revs, Dielna has looked worthy of a Designated Player slot because he’s a physical presence that won’t back down. He’s also a fun follow on social media and an on-field leader. In sum, the guy is a winner.