Revolution Players Shine in MLS NEXT All-Star Game

August 10, 2022 – MLS NEXT Pro (MLS NEXT Pro) – New England Revolution II News Release

BLAINE, Minnesota – New England Revolution Homegrown Player Esmir Bajraktarević (2005 – Appleton, Wis.) and Academy midfielder Jack Panayotou (2004 – Cambridge, Mass.) represented the Revolution Academy at the first MLS NEXT All-Star Game on Wednesday afternoon at the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minn., each playing 45 minutes as MLS NEXT East defeated MLS NEXT West, 2-1. Panayotou recorded the game-winning assist in the 89th minute while Bajraktarević started the match, each playing 45 minutes on the day.

Bajraktarevic, 17, started the match for MLS NEXT East and created several chances in the attack throughout the first half. The midfielder, who signed as a Homegrown Player with New England in May and is eligible for MLS selection as of August, has appeared in 26 matches for Revolution II since joining the club’s Academy in August 2021, starting 17 times and recording a goal and an assist. The Wisconsin native made his first-team debut on May 25 in a U.S. Open Cup contest at New York City FC, playing 67 minutes. He has also earned three call-ups to the U.S. Under-19 Men’s National Team this year.

Panayotou, 18, is a recent graduate of the Revolution Academy and is set to begin his freshman season at Georgetown University this fall. The Cambridge, Mass. native played the entire second half of Wednesday’s All-Star Game, recording two shots and notching the game-winning assist in the 89th minute for the East. Panayotou was a standout for the Under-19s during their run to the MLS NEXT Cup title, leading the team with six goals scored during the tournament including the game-winning tally in the final, a 1-0 win over the San Francisco Glens, to bring the club’s first MLS NEXT Cup national championship home to New England. Panayotou has also scored two goals in nine matches for Revolution II this season and has earned two call-ups to the U.S. Under-19 Men’s National Team.

Becerra served as the assistant coach for MLS NEXT East in Wednesday’s contest. After a 20-year coaching career developing young talent across Major League Soccer, the USL Championship, and the international stage, Becerra took lead of the Revolution Academy in April 2021 as the club’s Director of Youth Development. Becerra oversees all four Revolution Academy age groups, directing the coaching curriculum, player development, and player identification. Since his arrival, the Revolution Academy…