New England Revolution II have been one of the consistent teams in MLS NEXT Pro this year, but their impressive second half of the season has surely played a vital role in helping them reach the upcoming Eastern Conference Finals.
Revs II’s 2-1 home victory over New York Red Bulls II on Friday not only continued a dominant reign at Gillette Stadium but also the club’s dreams of lifting the MLS NEXT Pro Cup. Clint Peay’s ascension to the first team coaching staff hasn’t forced a drop in play in the Revs II squad, who have only lost once in regulation over their last 15 matches.
Malcolm Fry and Victor Souza delivered goals on Friday against Red Bulls II, extending Revs II’s home unbeaten regulation streak to 13 matches. Fry and Souza are just two of 14 Revs II players to have contributed at least one goal this season, showing the growing amount of scoring depth in the squad.
Jordan Adebayo-Smith’s 12 goals lead the team while Marcos Dias, Esmir Bajraktarevic, Jack Panayotou, and Damian Rivera have all contributed five goals or more this season. Adebayo-Smith has also been a key distributor, sitting tied with Jake Rozhanksy on five assists apiece.
Souza and Pierre Cayet have been two consistent performers in the Revs II backline, with both players registering over 2,400 minutes of action apiece. Cayet leads the team with 64 interceptions while Souza is ranked sixth with 20 interceptions of his own.
2022 standout Jacob Jackson has rebounded from a serious injury a year ago to return to his best in between the posts. Jackson has registered three clean sheets in 12 appearances to date while Nico Campuzano also totaled four shutouts of his own earlier this year.
Revs II have made Gillette Stadium a fortress this season, losing just once in regulation on home soil. Their eight home wins are tied for the second-most in the Eastern Conference while their +16 goal differential is the third-best.
Despite some up-and-down results in the early spring months, Revs II have become truly tough to beat over 90 minutes since the summer onward. In addition to their regulation result successes, Revs II also posted a 6-2 record in shootouts during the regular season, making them one of the best in the league when it comes to spot kicks.
Defending MLS NEXT Pro Champions Columbus Crew 2 will make the trip to Gillette Stadium this weekend with hopes of their own to return to the title game.
However, Revs II defeated Crew 2 by a 2-0 scoreline in May and will be confident of earning a similar result on a ground they have been dominant on all season. Revs II ultimately have what it takes to reach the MLS NEXT Pro Cup, but will need to play with the same overall consistency that they have done all year long.
