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Hollinger-Janzen rescues Revolution in crucial win over Sounders

Photo by Bob DeChiara/USA Today Sports
Photo by Bob DeChiara/USA Today Sports

Kei Kamara’s addition to the New England Revolution stole the show two weeks back, but on Saturday night at Gillette Stadium it was rookie forward Femi Hollinger-Janzen who came to the rescue for the home side.

Hollinger-Janzen — a frequent substitute for the Revolution this season — broke open a tie game just three minutes after coming on as he fell down, got up and then rifled in a long-distance 80th-minute winner past Seattle Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei to send New England to a 2-1 home victory in front of 21,456 at Gillette Stadium.

New England (3-4-7) picked up its second victory in three games after notching just one win across the first third of the season.

Lee Nguyen also scored for the Revs on a 24th-minute penalty kick, just beating Frei inside the right post, after a questionable handball call on Erik Friberg to set up the opportunity. Nguyen became the Revs’ all-time leader in penalty kick goals with 13.

The game started off well for Seattle, which went ahead on a seventh-minute goal by 22-year-old Homegrown Player Aaron Kovar, his first in MLS. Revs goalie Bobby Shuttleworth punched the ball away on a long-range shot by Joevin Jones, but it fell at the edge of the box to Kovar, who settled it onto his right foot and beat Shuttleworth inside the left post.

Sounders captain Brad Evans substituted off in the 40th minute with a head injury, forcing rookie Tony Alfaro into the game at center back for his first MLS action.

The Revs are now off until June 18 due to the MLS’ two-week break during the Copa America Centenario tournament. The Sounders (4-7-1) play one more time, on the road against D.C. United at 8 p.m. Wednesday, before going on their break.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Lee Nguyen might have had some help in the form of a free penalty kick, but he was still able to extend his streak to three straight games with both a goal and and assist, as he also fed the ball to Hollinger-Janzen on the go-ahead tally. Whether or not Nguyen was a Copa America snub, he seems to be using it as motivation to get his season jumpstarted.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Hollinger-Janzen proved again that he can be an effective energy substitute with his second goal of the season, and the Revs needed it. It’s still early, but the Revs have already squandered a lot of points this season with seven ties, so a win meant a lot going into the June break.

MATCH TO FORGET

Herculez Gomez is past his prime, but the Sounders are depending on him to contribute to the offense while Dempsey is away with the USMNT. Gomez hasn’t scored in five previous games with Seattle, but he was invisible on Saturday, playing 82 minutes without getting off a shot as the Sounders finished with an anemic nine shots and only two on target.

Comments

  1. Calling the penalty call questionable is a bit of an underselling. It may be the worst call so far this year and thats saying something

    Reply

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