4 highlights from the Revolution’s 1-1 draw with FC Cincinnati

A season-high crowd of 30,080 witnessed a thrilling match full of intensity and physicality that belied the fact that the playoffs are still more than six months away.

One unfortunate result was that one of the Revolution’s most exciting young talents, winger Dylan Borrero, left on a stretcher after the game with what head coach Bruce Arena admitted was a possible “serious knee injury.”

Here are a few takeaways:

Thin margins in a tough, physical game

Cincinnati took off in the opening minutes of the first half. The Revolution, unbeaten at home until 2023, were largely left at home as the visitors took an unexpected early lead.

“I think for the first 10 minutes of the game, they dominated us physically,” Arena said after the game. “We didn’t adapt well to it. It took us a little time.”

The team was without striker Giacomo Vrioni, who was injured in training and was not named in the squad as a result. With fellow forwards Gustavo Boo and Bobby Wood also returning from injury (and only able to make the bench), 24-year-old homegrown forward Justin Rennix gets his first start of the season.

While his movement was good, Rennix couldn’t consistently make too much of an impact on the game, and he struggled in tight situations (facing Cincinnati’s trio of center backs in the team’s 3-5-2 system).

While struggling to run an offense like they have in the past, the Revolution have sent offense outside of DeJuan Jones and Brandon Bay. Both players answered the call and entered the game. In the end it was Bai who broke down the right and went to the back post for Boateng’s equaliser.

Both teams competed with an intensity worthy of a successful start to the season, with hills flying all over the field. Revolution defensive midfielder Matt Polster, as well as center backs Dave Romney and Andrew Farrell, were instrumental in helping stop Cincinnati’s play attempts on forwards Brandon Vazquez and Sergio Santos.

Borrero’s injury could have major consequences.

New England, which survived Cincinnati’s early dominance in the first few minutes, was dealt a blow in the 15th minute when Borrero went down. Immediately, the 21-year-old clutched his left knee and began calling for the training staff.

The moment came when Borrero tried to jump over Mosquera’s shot. The New England winger landed awkwardly, apparently causing the injury. A Colombian citizen named Mosquera was upset when he realized that Borrero was injured.

Arena later expressed concern as the team waited for tests at Borrero to confirm what had happened.

“I haven’t received confirmation, but I think it’s a serious knee injury,” Arena explained.

Borrero, who has two goals and one assist until 2023, is one of the team’s rising talents. His extended absence has far-reaching consequences. If he misses part (or all) of the rest of the season, it will definitely change New England’s entire game plan.

Jordje Petrovic reminded everyone that he remains elite.

In close games, the Revolution has relied on good goaltending in the Arena era. That’s certainly true of Matt Turner (now at Arsenal) and the same is true of Turner’s successor in the New England net, Djorje Petrovic.

The 23-year-old Serbian was called again after the referee’s controversial decision to award Cincinnati a penalty in the first half, despite replays showing Rennix’s handball (the cause of the penalty) was just outside the box. .

However, when tasked with stopping Cincinnati’s Luciano Acosta from the spot, Petrovic was up to the task.