New England Revolution II clawed their way back to earn their second consecutive victory after defeating FC Cincinnati 2 by the score of 3-2 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. FCC2 scored two goals in the first half, but Revs II roared back during the last 45 minutes of play to complete the comeback.
A wonder goal by FC Cincinnati 2's Arquimides Ordonez opened up the scoring in the 14th minute. Ordonez maneuvered his way past four Revs defenders to slot the ball into the back of the net to give FCC2 the early lead. Avionne Flanagan followed up two minutes later after being set up in the box by Zico Bailey and curving a ball past Revs II goalkeeper Jacob Jackson.
Revs 2 head coach Clint Peay shuffled his pieces at halftime and made three substitutions in hopes of turning the tide, and was quickly rewarded as substitutes Jack Panayotou and Ryan Lima delivered a pair of goals in a span of 10 minutes to ignite the comeback.
New England Revolution II continued to fight for the win and secured it in the final minutes. Midfielder Jack Rozhansky provided a low cross near the six-yard box to a streaking Panayotou, who put it in the goal with a powerful strike. The goal gave the 17-year-old midfielder his second goal of the game, which went a long way in helping Revs II walk away with a hard-fought win.
The Story: The Comeback Kids
New England Revolution II showed why they should be considered as one of the top teams in MLS NEXT Pro. After a tough start, Peay’s men rose from the ashes after falling down 2-0 less than 25 minutes into the game and were convincing in the second half.
Key substitutions, constant defensive pressure, and a cohesive attack made all the difference for Revs II. After facing some difficulty in producing shots on target during the first half, Revs II ended the game with a total of 18 attempts and five on goal. The constant effort to secure the ball and attack quickly put FC Cincinnati 2 on its heels and disrupted the offensive flow established during the first 45 minutes.
Both Panayotou and Lima made their professional debuts against RNY FC earlier in the month but did not look like rookies when they rallied the scoring punches their team desperately needed to get back in the game. Sunday marked a historic day for Panayotou, whose goals marked a career-first professional brace, and Lima who opened his MLS NEXT Pro account with his crucial contribution that produced the equalizer.
Revs II head Coach Clint Peay will walk away happy knowing the firepower he has in his youngsters who led the way to the comeback. Both are looking for their first respective starts of the season, and Sunday might have been enough to place Panayotou and Lima in the starting XI against Orlando City B next week.
