Recap: Revolution II 1 - 5 Philadelphia Union II

New England Revolution II returned to action on Sunday as they traveled to Subaru Park to face Philadelphia Union II. Sunday was the second meeting between both clubs in 2022. The first came on May 27th, where a goal from Meny Silva in the thirty-fourth minute propelled Revs II to a 1-0 shutout victory.

Revs II entered Sunday’s contest on the heels of snapping a four-game losing streak as a phenomenal header from Pierre Cayet in the 52nd minute propelled Revs II to a 1-0 shutout over Chicago Fire II.

With only five games left in their inaugural MLS NEXT Pro season, Revs II needed to stay in the win column as they entered Sunday’s contest in sixth place of the East with 29 points on an 8-7-4 record. With only four points separating second and eighth place, it was important for Clint Peay and company to tack on points.

Max Weinstein was in goal as José Ítalo, Pierre Cayet, Michael DeShields, and Colby Quiñones composed the backline. Trevor Zwetsloot served as a defensive midfielder as Meny Silva, Michel, Jake Rozhansky, and Ryan Lima composed the midfield. Marcos Dias was the lone striker up top.

Despite not featuring on the game-day roster, Weverton de Sousa Santos was present a Subaru Park before kickoff as he began getting acclimated with his new club. The former Flamengo U-20 forward signed with Revolution II on August 11th. Weverton arrived in the United States yesterday as he traveled directly to Philadelphia to join Revolution II.

The Revs II offense came close to finding the opening goal in the third minute as Dias chested a ball down and found Quiñones darting down the right flank. Quiñones then sent a cross into the box, where it found Silva. Silva was positioned perfectly under the cross as he sent a bouncing header on frame. Matt Freese scooped it up and ended Revs II’s chance.

Ítalo looked to get onto the score sheet in the fifth minute as he attempted to send a left-footed shot to the top left corner of the net but hit the ball a little too hard as it sailed out of play.

Rozhansky entered the books in the thirtieth minute after committing a foul on Brandon Craig. Just minutes later, Rozhansky received a second yellow card after a handball.

Meny Silva was booked in stoppage time as he received a yellow card for committing a foul on Matt Real.

Dias again came close to finding the opening goal in the fifty-first minute as he cut past the Philadelphia II back line and sent a shot directly at Freese. The Union II goalkeeper failed to maintain possession as he coughed the ball back into the box. Dias got on top of the rebound and evaded the ensuing defense. Dias dribbled the ball outside the box as he attempted to reset the Revs II offense. Dias tried to send a ball into the box, but the defense cleared it away.

Matt Real put Philadelphia II on the board in the fifty-fourth minute as a Brandon Craig corner kick found Quinn Sullivan outside the box. Sullivan attempted to send a shot on goal but muffed the shot. Sullivan’s shot found its way to Real, who sent a left-footed shot into the bottom left corner of the net.

Jesús Bueno doubled Philadelphia’s lead in the sixty-first minute as a turnover at midfield led to Sullivan sending a cross right to Bueno, who lasered a volley right at Max Weinstein. Weinstein got two hands to the ball, but it took an angled deflection into the bottom left corner of the net.

Bueno wasted no time bagging himself a brace as he evaded the defense’s pressure and got on the end of Cole Turner’s cross to volley the ball into the back of the net to give Philadelphia a 3-0 lead in the sixty-third minute. Michel received a yellow card in the sixty-fourth minute as Philadelphia celebrated their third goal.

Nathaniel Harriel added a fourth goal in the sixty-seventh minute as his shot from the right side of the box evaded the defenders in the box and past a diving Weinstein as it crashed into the net.

Four substitutions came in the sixty-ninth minute as Brandonn Bueno, Jack Burkhardt, Malcolm Fry, and Steban Lopera replaced Silva, Cayet, Michel, and Lima. Burkhardt and Lopera became the twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth Revolution Academy players to make their professional debut with Revolution II.

After setting up multiple goals throughout the night, Sullivan bagged one for himself in the seventy-ninth minute as a turnover in the midfield led to Stefan Stojanovic driving down the middle. Stojanovic pitched the ball to his right to Sullivan, who drove a shot into the bottom left corner of the net.

Quiñones netted his first professional goal in the eighty-seventh minute as Revs II forced a turnover in the midfield, which led to Ítalo lobbing a ball to the right side of the box. Quiñones evaded the defense as he drove the ball into the bottom left corner.

An abysmal night for Revolution II ended in a disappointing 5-1 defeat. After Sunday’s loss, Revolution II fall to seventh place in the East with twenty-nine points on an 8-8-4 record.

While Revs II only trail a playoff spot by two points, with only five games left, their goal differential may pose a problem come the end of the year. They currently hold a -13 goal differential, while the lowest goal differential ahead of them is -6.

Revs II will look to right the ship next Saturday, August 27^th, as they face Rochester New York FC on the road at 5:30 PM.