Revolution pummel Alajuelense 4-0 in Champions Cup match
The New England Revolution have feasted on teams from Central America in the Concacaf Champions Cup tournament.
The Revolution recorded their third straight Cup victory with a 4-0 win over LD Alajuelense in leg one of their home-and-home Round of 16 series on Wednesday night at Gillette Stadium. Revolution keeper Henrich Ravas recorded his third clean sheet while striker Tomas Chancalay collected a brace.
The second leg will take place on March 14 at Estadio Alejandro Morea Soto in Alajuela, Costa Rica. The Revolution beat Panamanian entrant CA Independiente by an aggregate score of 4-0 in the first round. The Revolution will look to secure their first MLS victory when they engage Atlanta United FC on Saturday night (7:30) at Mercedes Benz Stadium.
“It wasn’t their night tonight,” said Revolution head coach Caleb Porter. “We got on top of them with a couple of goals and it got away from them a little bit but this next leg is going to be extremely difficult.
“They are going to throw the kitchen sink at us and in some ways, they have nothing to lose. The fans are going to be difficult and I know the environment there.”
The Revolution played the fifth of eight games in 26 days and Porter made significant changes to his starting XI from Sunday’s 1-0 loss to Toronto FC at Gillette. Porter went with more of a 4-3-3 scheme with midfielder Carles Gil out of the starting group and striker Giacomo Vrioni serving a suspension. Midfielder Matt Polster wore the captain’s armband with Gil on the bench.
“Obviously Carles is a very good player and you wonder with him out are you going to create as many chances and score as many goals,” said Porter. “We thought the 4-3-3 would work well without Carles and it gave us a really good tempo in possession.”
Concacaf matches can turn malevolent in an instant and the first yellow card incident occurred in the 19th minute. Nacho Gil was attempting to play the ball off his chest when Los Leones’ midfielder Ian Lawrence delivered a leaping forearm to the head. Gil crumpled to the ground and emerged bleeding from a face wound. Referee Adonal Escobedo issued a verbal warning to Lawrence along with the yellow card.
The Revolution went up 1-0 on a rare outside back to outside back collaboration in the 28th minute. Center back Dave Romney launched a deep ball into the LDA zone to Esmir Bajraktarevic, who made a pass off his back foot to DeJuan Jones on the left side of the box. Jones sent a cross into the penalty area that Nick Lima fired off his right foot by keeper Leonel Moreira and inside the far post.
“We talked a lot recently about our outside backs being more aggressive,” said Porter. “I thought you say today we were really aggressive with our outside backs on both sides and I think it gave them some problems.”
The Revolution went up 2-0 on a play that originated at midfield in the 41st minute. Ian Harkes forced a turnover at the center line and led Nacho Gil on a deep run down the right flank. Gil connected with Tomas Chancalay as he streaked through the box. The Argentine sniper fired it by Moreira for the first of two.
“I thought he played very well today,” said Porter. “He is not a No. 9 but he is a forward with a forward’s mentality and he wants to score. He’s never seen a shot he can’t make and it’s all he wants to do is just score.”
The Revolution went up 3-0 on a gift goal by Chancalay in the 50th minute. Alajuelense midfielder Edward Cedeno was called for a handball while making a play on Nacho Gil in the penalty area. Porter sent Chancalay to do the job and he delivered a laser under the crossbar for his fourth in the tournament. The Revolution went up 4-0 in the 55th minute when Lima set up Bajraktarevic for a chip shot goal, his first of the season.
“The mentality is to focus on what I can do and know in my head and what I’m going to do with the shot,” said Chancalay. “That is important, kick the ball hard and finish my shot and my aim is to always to score.”