FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The offensive floodgates have officially opened in New England.
After scoring six goals over their first seven games, the Revolution scored four times against a depleted Real Salt Lake side on Saturday night. In the process, they showed the attacking potential that many thought they were capable of after signing Juan Agudelo in the offseason.
In gaining their largest margin of victory since last May’s 5-0 win over the Seattle Sounders, New England defined the word onslaught as they got 13 of their 25 shot attempts on goal.
“We wanted to work on our spacing and continue to get the spacing right,” said Revolution head coach Jay Heaps. “I thought we had a good chemistry going. We were finding balls in good areas and that’s the most important. When you win that real estate, where you’re keeping possession and where you’re getting the attack, that’s the most important part.”
The four-goal night was bookended by strikes from usual suspects Juan Agudelo and Charlie Davies, who both scored their third goals of the season.
But the opening salvo came off a great effort from Chris Tierney, who worked two RSL defenders out of their cleats in pulling back a ball at the top of the box and bending a right-footed curler to the far post for his first goal of the season.
The scoring was closed out by midfielder Scott Caldwell, who received a pass from Kelyn Rowe as he stepped into the box and fired low, left, through traffic for his first career strike.
“It’s been such a long time coming,” Tierney said of Caldwell’s first goal. “Scott is such an underrated player, in my opinion. We’re really lucky to have him and it’s great to see him get on the scoresheet. Long overdue, so we’re excited for him.”
The total 13 shots on target were the most by New England since March 29, 2008 and tied for the fourth most shots on target in club history.
Were it not for the efforts of Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Jeff Attinella, who made nine saves, New England may have been looking at the record books when it comes to goals scored as well.
“That’s how we want to be built,” Heaps said. “I don’t think we’re a team that’s going to have that 25-goal scorer, like teams in the past. I think we’re a balanced attack. I’ve talked about it from the beginning.”
Craig Forde covers the New England Revolution for MLSsoccer.com.
