Depth, chemistry paying off for Revs
Fagundez, others gel after years of playing together
New England Revolution midfielder Diego Fagundez is a home-grown player with an exceptional MLS service record.
Fagundez, of Leominster, came up through the
Revolution Academy and was 15 when he signed an MLS contract on Nov. 15, 2010. Fagundez was 16 when he made his pro debut, a 3-2 win over D.C. United on April 26, 2011, in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
Fagundez is in his 10th
MLS season and will appear in his 257 th game when the Revolution (64-7) engage the Montreal Impact (6-9-2) on Wednesday night at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N. J. With six games remaining in the season, Fagundez will likely surpass Shalrie Joseph’s club record of 261 regularseason appearances.
The Revolution experienced a milestone moment during Sunday night’s crucial 2-1 victory over New
York City FC at Yankee Stadium. Dynamic midfielder Lee Nguyen scored on a penalty kick and assisted on Teal Bunbury’s tally in the third minute.
Nguyen, who was competing in his 198th game with the club, became the first player in Revolution history to have 50 goals and 50 assists with club. Nguyen played the first 191 games of his MLS career with New England and re
joined the club in a trade with Miami on Sept. 8.
The other long-term assets are center back Andrew Farrell (233 games) and midfielders Kelyn Rowe (217) and Scott Caldwell (211), all of whom have logged significant minutes this season.
“I think we all know how to play,” Fagundez said following practice on Tuesday. “I know me and Lee, back in the day we used to work so well together and create a lot of chances.
“When you have six guys together for a (long time) the chemistry is there and it’s easier to know each other, what we are going to do and make sure that we can do well.”
The Revolution have to make a quick turnaround in preparation for the Impact, a team they have played three times in their unbalanced schedule. The Impact won the first match 2-1 in Montreal in the season opener on Feb. 29.
Revolution sporting director and head coach Bruce Arena dismisses the loss, describing the pitch in Montreal as “a piece of cement inside a building.” MLS went into hibernation on March 12 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
When MLS play resumed in the MLS is Back Tournament, the Revs opened group play with a 1-0 victory over Montreal. The Revs notched their season high for goals with a 3-1 victory at Gillette Stadium on Sept. 23.
The Revolution are currently in sixth place in the Eastern Division, one point behind NYCFC. The top six teams get a firstround bye in the MLS playoffs with the top four hosting.
“The only benefit of the quick turnaround is that we know what they are going to do and what they bring to the table,” said Fagundez. “We don’t have to watch a lot of film on them and that’s a huge part of it, but at the same time we have to make sure we are ready.
“If we outperform them, we are going to win.”