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4 takeaways from the Revolution’s MLS home-opening loss to Toronto FC
New England threw everything at Toronto in the second half, but couldn't find an equalizing goal.
The Revolution lost the 2024 MLS home opener 1-0 to Toronto FC on an unseasonably warm (and slightly sunny) day at Gillette Stadium on Sunday.
Despite the pleasant conditions and one of the largest crowds for a league home opener in team history (29,293), it turned into a frustrating afternoon for New England.
A sublime chip shot goal from Toronto winger Lorenzo Insigne in the 27th minute proved to be the difference despite the home side totaling far more shots (23-8), possession (64%), and double the xG (2-1, according to MLS stats).
Toronto, thanks to Insigne’s moment of skill and a collectively tough approach on defense, won the only statistic that ultimately matters.
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Here are a few takeaways as the Revolution have now lost each of the first two league games of the season.
Toronto’s width created problems for the Revolution’s defense.
Despite the lack of available striker options — Giacomo Vrioni was suspended following his dismissal in the opener against D.C. United, and Bobby Wood wasn’t deemed healthy enough to make the squad — New England head coach Caleb Porter persisted with what appears to be his preferred formation: 4-2-3-1.
In a self-contained sense, the lineup made sense: Chancalay slotted in at center forward, with Esmir Bajraktarevic on the right, Emmanuel Boateng on the left, and Carles Gil in his preferred role behind as a central playmaker (drifting to his right).
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The problem for Porter and New England was in how this game plan matched up with Toronto’s 3-4-2-1 setup, especially as it was deployed in the first half.
Though it didn’t reveal itself in the first few minutes, the issues started to become clear when Toronto got a hold of possession. When allowed to progress upfield, the visitors were consistently able to work overloads out wide.
Toronto wide players Raoul Petretta and Fernando Bernadeschi (listed as a wingback but in reality more a winger/attacking midfielder) found space, and even center backs Shane O’Neil and Nicksoen Gomis (each playing on the outside of a back-three) got forward to offer wide threats and crosses.
The opening goal resulted from this trend: Toronto worked the ball to the right wing for a wide open Bernadeschi. Though his cross was deflected, New England was unable to recover possession and Insigne — also open on the opposite flank — calmly cut back inside before chipping Revolution goalkeeper Henrich Ravas.
Granted, Insigne’s world-class skill ultimately made the goal actually happen, but he was only allowed the opportunity (and space) because New England was outflanked.
The game changed in the second half, but the Revolution couldn’t take advantage.
After essentially splitting the possession 50-50 in the opening 45 minutes, New England increasingly monopolized it in the second half.
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Bernadeschi, having helped create the breakthrough goal, was subbed off, with Toronto sending a more traditional outside back/wingback on in his place (Kobe Franklin). It was a purely defensive-minded switch, setting the tone for the updated game plan. The three-back approach morphed into what was decidedly more of a back-five (with the wingbacks sitting deeper).
In the end, credit was due for Toronto. The visitors held firm and largely negated some of the more creative possibilities of Gil.
Even still, plenty of chances fell the Revolution’s way. One of the more dramatic moments came in stoppage time when Toronto goalkeeper Sean Johnson came up with a clutch save to deny New England midfielder Matt Polster from a shot inside the box.
Tomas Chancalay put in an admirable but flawed performance as a center forward.
Asked to play out of his normal position (generally left wing), Chancalay sprinted into the task of center forward with enthusiasm.
The 25-year-old Argentine looked lively and pounced on several loose balls. He looked dangerous dribbling through the center, but could’ve handled his passing decision-making better.
On multiple occasions, New England seemed to have an advantageous counterattack negated by Chancalay either electing to try and shoot himself, or simply not making a pass quickly enough.
He could get another start in the role in the upcoming midweek CONCACAF Champions Cup matchup with Costa Rican side Alajuelense, as Vrioni is set to be suspended for that game as well. And if Wood continues to experience lingering injury issues, it might necessitate Porter revisiting the transfer market to find an additional striker.
Officiating controversy amid a referee lockout
At the outset of the 2024 MLS season, one of the major league-wide subplots has been the ongoing lockout of the referees’ union, Professional Soccer Referees Association (PSRA). After failing to agree to a new collective bargaining agreement with the Professional Referee Organization (PRO), PSRA members have been locked out of their jobs.
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Replacement referees have already garnered a mixed track record, including an incident in the 22nd minute of Sunday’s game. After collecting possession of the ball in Toronto’s box, Bajraktarevic cut inside onto his left foot.
It appeared that Toronto midfielder Deybi Flores stepped on Bajraktarevic’s foot inside the box, and the call drew a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review. Yet despite Flores’s violation seeming to be even clearer on replay, no penalty kick was awarded.
After the game, match official Wesley Costa was asked by Frank Dell’Apa of The Boston Globe why no penalty was awarded.
“The referee observed the defender cleanly playing the ball, and no foul was committed,” was Costa’s official response.
On the flip side, Toronto appeared to score a second goal later in the first half that was called back due to offsides on Bernadeschi (who headed a cross back across for Toronto forward Prince Owusu). On replay, the decision appeared close, but it wasn’t even taken to VAR.
The game, to be fair, would’ve been a tough assignment for even a veteran MLS officiating crew, especially in the second half as the proceedings became more confrontational. Yet each week that the referee lockout continues will undoubtedly escalate the scrutiny of the replacements.
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