Revolution 1, TFC: 4: Goodbye playoffs

The New England Revolution saw their playoff hopes slip away on Saturday night, as they were defeated 4-1 by Toronto FC. Here’s a breakdown of the game.

Quick Recap

The affair started positively for the Revs, as Cristian Penilla put the visitors ahead in the 10th minute. Toronto got an equalizer in the 36th minute through Sebastian Giovinco before dominating the second half by scoring three unanswered goals. Lucas Janson got his in the 53rd minute. Victor Vasquez beat Brad Knighton from the spot in the 58th after Jalil Anibaba fouled in the box. Marco Delgado grabbed an insurance goal in the 81st minute.

Quote of the Match

Brad Friedel made one change at halftime, replacing Scott Caldwell with Diego Fagundez. The move, which was apparently necessary because of an injury, was meant to be a “straight swap.” This was a bit weird because Fagundez isn’t exactly known for his defensive prowess.

Here’s what Friedel said after the game:

“Scotty rolled his ankle pretty badly hobbling around the field a little bit, brought Diego on and that just completely unbalanced the team which it shouldn’t have done. We stopped winning all the second balls in the middle, that’s when Toronto is very good, when they get control of the middle, and then they can spring attacks. We did very little to stop that.”

What it Means

The Revs aren’t going to be playing post-season soccer this year. Sure, the Revs aren’t mathematically eliminated from the playoffs but any anyone who believes that a run is on the horizon should be viewed as delusional.

The club squandered their hot start by having a lackluster summer transfer window and failing to evolve tactically. The next four games should be viewed auditions for guys that want to return next year.

What’s Next

Things don’t get easier for the Revs, as they travel to face Atlanta United FC on Saturday, Oct 6. The game kicks off at 3:30 p.m.