FOXBORO – The New England Revolution erupted for three goals in the first half and then held on for a 3-2 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps before 27,028 on Saturday night at Gillette Stadium.
Vancouver made it 3-2 in stoppage time on Ryan Gauld’s second of the match. The Revolution (5-10-1) closed out a two-game homestand with their third straight victory and will resume MLS play on June 22 at Cincinnati FC.
“The goals came and that’s been the missing piece, just that precision and final third execution” said Revolution head coach Caleb Porter. “I thought it was dominant performance and it’s too bad the way it ended because it makes it feel tighter than it was.
“But three wins in a row and we are playing extremely well. We got great performances and it was too bad to give up that late goal.”
Porter reloaded his Starting XI with homegrown midfielders Esmir Bajraktarevic (USA -U23) and Noel Buck (England-U23), who were doing international duty and missed the Revolution’s 1-0 victory over New York Red Bulls.
Buck was inserted as a holding midfielder in place of Matt Polster, who missed his first start serving a suspension for yellow card accumulation. Bajraktarevic made his ninth start, Buck his fourth, and both players scored.
Buck put the Revolution up 1-0 in the seventh minute on a bullet from just outside the box. Dylan Borrero set the play in motion with a cross to striker Giacomo Vrioni in the box. Vrioni’s shot was blocked by a Vancouver defender, but Buck collected the rebound and fired it by keeper Yohei Takaoka at the top of the far post for his first of the season. Buck would leave the game in the 71st minute with a non-contact right leg injury.
“That was an unbelievable shot,” said Porter. “He’s got that in him and a saw it a lot last year when I was watching film on him.
“But for whatever reason earlier in the year, we weren’t seeing that. That was him stepping forward and having a go. He does have that in him and I want to see more.”
Vancouver tied the game 1-1 in the 13th minute on a play that caught the Revolution backline napping. Center back Javain Brown dropped a cross from the right flank into the middle of the penalty area. Gauld got under the ball and headed it inside the near post for his eighth of the season.
Borrero’s second helper put the Revolution up 2-1 in the 23rd minute. Borrero made a lob pass to Vrioni, who got behind Vancouver defender Ranko Vaselinovic and beat Takaoka far post with his third of the season.
“For him to finish that goal, an excellent goal, a good run and a good finish,” said Porter. “I was very happy for him.”
Bajraktarevic made it 3-1 in the 40th minute with his second goal in three games. Bajraktarevic got possession in the upper right of the penalty area, pivoted, and ripped a shot that deflected off Vancouver midfielder Sebastian Berhalter and sailed inside the far post.
