{"id":30982,"date":"2020-11-25T00:14:17","date_gmt":"2020-11-25T05:14:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/soccer\/?p=30982"},"modified":"2020-11-25T00:14:17","modified_gmt":"2020-11-25T05:14:17","slug":"new-england-revolution-upsets-union","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/soccer\/2020\/11\/25\/new-england-revolution-upsets-union\/","title":{"rendered":"New England Revolution upsets Philadelphia Union, moves on in playoffs"},"content":{"rendered":"

CHESTER, PA.<\/strong> – The New England Revolution<\/a> upsets the top seed as they advanced to the Eastern Conference Semifinals. It took a 2\u20130 victory against its longtime boogeyman, the Philadelphia Union<\/a>, at Subaru Park on Tuesday night.<\/p>\n

New England Revolution upsets Philadelphia Union, moves on in playoffs<\/h2>\n

In what is the defining upset so far in the MLS Cup Playoffs, the Revolution managed to knock out the Union, who entered Tuesday with a perfect 9\u20130\u20130 record in home games this year and had the league\u2019s best defensive and overall points records during the regular season.<\/p>\n

The Union were also prohibitive favorites because of their recent success against New England. Prior to Tuesday, Philadelphia had gone 10 straight competitive games\u200a\u2014\u200aincluding five this calendar year\u200a\u2014\u200awithout a loss to the Revolution, a run that dated back to July 2017.<\/p>\n

That streak is over and the Revolution will now take on Orlando City SC<\/a> next Sunday for a chance to play in the Eastern Conference final.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think competing against [Philadelphia] all season has been tough because they\u2019ve definitely had a better hand on us, but in the playoffs it doesn\u2019t matter what seed you are,\u201d said Revolution winger Tajon Buchanan, who scored the team\u2019s second goal Tuesday night.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese games are do or die. Today we won the bigger game.\u201d<\/p>\n

Revolution take two-goal lead and don’t look back<\/h2>\n

Only for a little while did Union look like they\u2019d offer New England more of the same.<\/p>\n

Brenden Aaronson cut down the right flank in the fifth minute and found Jamiro Monteiro free in the box for a clean look on goal, but Monteiro sent his shot whistling over the bar.<\/p>\n

That was pretty much it from Philadelphia\u2019s attack, which produced a series of first half giveaways that doomed the team in possession and struggled to get behind New England\u2019s back line after the visitors established their two-goal lead.<\/p>\n

New England\u2019s first goal arrived in the 26th minute. Carles Gil sent a freekick from just outside box hurtling into the area with his left foot. Adam Buksa rose above his marker to meet the cross, then headed powerfully past an outstretched Andre Blake, who was named MLS Goalkeeper of the Year last week.<\/p>\n

The Revolution put the nail in the proverbial coffin four minutes later. This time Gil orchestrated a goal by feeding a lethal pass to Buchanan off a counter-attack. Buchanan ran onto the feed, then zipped by Union defender Kai Wagner on the right side of the box before tucking a shot past Blake and inside the far post.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the second goal broke their spirit,\u201d Revolution head coach\/sporting director Bruce Arena said. \u201cObviously both goals are important.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe knew they were going to fight all 90 minutes. We had to make it ugly in the second half, but we managed to do that and got the clean sheet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Don’t call New England underdogs<\/h2>\n

The “ugly” Arena referred to was a fierce and physical midfield battle that featured plenty of clashes, arguments, and screams from both sidelines.<\/p>\n

Gil provided a rare piece of respite when his neat chip from outside the area clanged off the crossbar in the 52nd minute.<\/p>\n

From there, New England dropped back most of its players and held on to defend. Philadelphia coach Jim Curtin tried to break the Revolution\u2019s shell with a series of substitutions\u200a\u2014\u200afirst by bringing on Ilsinho at halftime and later adding Cory Burke and Anthony Fontana\u200a\u2014\u200abut no breakthrough came.<\/p>\n

\u201cAndrew Farrell and Henry Kessler were rock solid,\u201d said Revolution goalkeeper Matt Turner of New England\u2019s center backs. \u201cI\u2019ve worked a lot harder for clean sheets, let\u2019s just put it that way.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Revolution, which entered the post-season as the eight-seed in the Eastern Conference, cleared a significant hurdle by knocking out their longtime nemesis, which also happened to be the best team in the league during the regular season.<\/p>\n

Now the club\u2019s attention turns to its visit Sunday in Orlando, where it has never won a competitive game. That said, Arena wants no part of his team being called underdogs, even if some of his players are relishing being given that status.<\/p>\n

\u201cI never heard that word spoken once in the last five days, and I don\u2019t think those kinds of comments motivate athletes at the professional level,\u201d Arena said. \u201cWe knew what kind of game this was, we knew the strengths and weaknesses or our opponent, and I know what we\u2019re capable of: We went into this game knowing we could win, and we did.<\/p>\n

\u201cObviously it\u2019s a very good performance against a team that had a great regular season\u2026that was undefeated here in their home stadium. It\u2019s a tremendous win. Now we somehow have to recover and get the team ready to play Sunday.\u201d<\/p>\n

Embed from Getty Images<\/a>