Vrioni scores pair in Revs’ 2-1 win over Sporting KC
FOXBORO >> The New England Revolution retained a share of first place in the MLS Eastern Conference with a 2-1 victory over hapless Sporting Kansas City on Saturday night at Gillette Stadium.
Giacomo Vrioni scored both Revs goals.
The Revolution (6-1-2) are tied with FC Cincinnati (6-2-1), which beat Portland 2-1 at home.
The Revolution are home on Tuesday night (7:30) for a U.S. Open Cup third round match against Hartford Athletic. The Revs resume
MLS play on Saturday against FC Cincinnati at Gillette.
“We are going to put a team on the field that can win the game and that is our focus on the Open Cup,” said Revolution head coach Bruce Arena. “We have a game on Tuesday that we will take first and then get our team prepared for a very good Cincinnati team.”
With the Revs on the dock for three games in eight days, Arena made significant changes to the starting XI battled Columbus to a 1-1 in Ohio on April 15. Arena excused midfielder Latif Blessing from the match. Blessing returned to his native
Ghana with U.S. State Department approved visas to bring his family to Foxboro.
“Latif is going to be very happy to have his family here,” said Arena. “We are pleased about that and I think he will be back in Boston on Monday. That is a real positive.”
The Revolution enjoyed an extended stay in the attacking zone, with crossing passes though the scoring area from both flanks in the 17th minute. SKC center back reacted improperly to the pressure and drew a yellow card in the 20th minute.
The Revolution went up 1-0 in the 31st minute on a breakout orchestrated by
Carles Gil, who sent Emmanuel Boateng streaking unattended down the left flank. Boateng cut toward the box and connected with Vrioni, who cross kicked it by keeper Tim Melia.
Vrioni notched his first MLS brace with a goal in the 35th minute. Boateng set a Gil for an open shot from the top of the box. Melia made the save, but Vrioni swift kicked the rebound high inside the near post.
“He did have two goals, it was a good effort by Giacomo,” said Arena. “He scored two goals and that is what we line about him.”
SKC cut the lead to 2-1 with its third goal the season. Daniel Salloi set up Johnny Russell who beat keeper Djordje Petrovic’s in the 51st minute.
Sporting KC squandered its momentum when Fontas was issued a red card for poleaxing Vrioni from behind in the 57th minute. Melia denied Vrioni a hat trick with a brilliant save in the 74th minute. He made an equally impressive stop on Justin Rennicks in the 81st minute.
“Good first half, crappy second half,” said Arena. “We played very poorly in the second half and give Sporting credit.”