Revolution knocked out of Leagues Cup by NYCFC after shootout

On Tuesday night at Gillette Stadium, the Revolution made five of six penalties to secure a shootout victory over Nashville FC and win their Leagues Cup group, earning Caleb Porter’s team another home game early in the knockout stages on Friday.

Back in a rain-soaked, windy Gillette, it was an eerily similar match, this time against Eastern Conference rivals New York City FC in the round of 32. Once again, it was a 1-1 draw after regulation time, thanks to another goal from striker Bobby Wood. And this time, the hosts converted their first six penalties.

The problem was that NYCFC also converted all six of their attempts from the spot. And when Mark-Anthony Kaye’s effort came off the crossbar, it was the opening the visitors needed to seal the game. Thanks to Justin Haak’s perfectly taken penalty, New York converted all seven of their attempts to win the shootout 7-6 and advance to the round of 16 of the Leagues Cup.

While New York City will face Mexican Liga MX powerhouse Tigres in the next round, the Revolution will now have a few weeks off. They will return to MLS action in Montreal on August 24.

Revolution goalie Aljaz Ivacic had another great game, making five saves in regulation time. In the shootout, Ivacic correctly guessed six of New York’s seven bids. But to show how good each shot was, Ivacic couldn’t connect a single one.

Fellow NYCFC forward Matt Freese (2 saves) was completely bewildered, guessing wrong on every Revolution attempt except the last. And Kaye’s shot clearly passed Freese high, but it clattered just off the woodwork.

The Revolution looked to have taken the lead for the first time in the 29th minute when Wood delivered a powerful pass from the edge of the penalty area, but it was correctly ruled out for offside after the pass went behind the NYC defence.

Three minutes later, New York City got the ball in the right corner of New England’s penalty area, and Santiago Rodriguez got his legs tangled with Revolution midfielder Matt Polster and went down. After a VAR review of the play, referee Julio Luna awarded New York City a penalty.

Santiago stepped up and fired a bold shot into the net as Ivacic dove to his left to no avail, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead in the 35th minute.

It took just five minutes for the Revolution to equalize, with Wood suddenly smoking. After nearly 14 months without a goal, the veteran American has now scored in two straight games. It was expertly set up by right back Brandon Bye, who darted down the right flank and curled a perfect cross past the NYCFC defense and in front of keeper Matt Freese. Wood, unmarked on the doorstep, headed the ball home to level the score.

Wood should have put the home side ahead just before half-time when Peyton Miller crossed from the left to a striker who was completely unmarked with goal in sight. But the experienced American got it all wrong and fired his effort from the penalty spot well over the bar.

Ivacic took over in the second half and denied NYCFC every bid. In the 52nd minute, striker Jovan Mijatovic turned free for a look inside the tight, but Ivacic came out strong and blocked the bid with his face.

In the 67th minute, substitute Alonso Martinez, who had replaced Mijatovic a minute earlier, raced 40 metres towards goal, but Ivacic managed to save the shot with his right hand.

And in the 75th minute Rodriguez made a spectacular attempt for his second, but his shot from 25 yards was tipped onto the crossbar by Ivacic and turned for a corner.

In the 79th minute, William Sands came on for the Revolution, taking the field to play against his twin brother James, NYCFC’s starting defensive midfielder. James Sands was one of his team’s scorers in the shootout, tying the score at 4-4.