Revolution II Battles FC Cincinnati 2 to a 5-5 Draw

April 30, 2023 – MLS NEXT Pro (MLS NEXT Pro) – New England Revolution II News Release

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – New England Revolution II (3-2-1; 12 pts.) played FC Cincinnati 2 (2-1-2; 8 pts.) to a 5-5 draw before winning the penalty kick shootout, 5-4, to secure the extra point. Marcos Dias and Damian Rivera both notched braces while Jordan Adebayo-Smith tallied his third goal of the season in the match.

Rivera found the scoresheet first burying a right-footed shot from the left side of the box in the 16th minute with fellow Homegrown midfielder Jack Panayotou distributing the assist on the tally. Dias doubled New England’s lead three minutes later, scoring on a penalty kick opportunity for his first of the season.

Cincinnati scored two of its own in the 22nd and 31st minutes to even the scoring, but Adebayo-Smith netted New England’s third goal of the match and his third of the season just before halftime, sending a left-footed shot into the center of the goal with Rivera adding on an assist to his night.

Cincinnati tied the score again in the 53rd minute and took the lead in the 61st minute as the back-and-forth action continued. Rivera evened the score back up in the 75th minute with another right-footed shot sent into the left side of the net to secure the second brace of his career with Revolution II.

Adebayo-Smith drew a penalty in the box in the 85th minute as Dias would step up to take his second penalty kick of the night to secure a brace of his own. In the 90th minute, Pierre Cayet attempted to block a cross in the box from Cincinnati, but the ball bounced off his foot and into the back of New England’s net, giving each team five goals apiece heading into the penalty kick shootout.

Dias, Adebayo-Smith, Panayotou, Peyton Miller, and Ben Awashie all tallied as Max Weinstein made the stop on Cincinnati’s Nicholas Samways to secure Revolution II’s first shootout victory of 2023. With a combined 10 goals between both teams, tonight’s match becomes the highest scoring game in MLS NEXT Pro history to date.

New England now begins a three-game road stretch, returning to action on Saturday, May 6 with a visit to New York City FC II at Belson Stadium. The 5 p.m. match will stream live on MLSNEXTPro.com.

New England Revolution II 5 (5), FC Cincinnati 5 (4)

April 30, 2023 – Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, Mass.)

Homegrown midfielder Damian Rivera tallied twice for the second brace of his career with Revolution II and added on his second assist of the season on Jordan…