Ahh, Florida. The place where the elderly Massachusetts residents retire to — and I know a few of them; hell, I’m related to some of them — and a place where the Revolution have difficulty playing in; the Mutiny and Fusion are dead, long live the Mutiny and Fusion!
I had mentioned in the Match Notes before the game that Orlando has been a trouble spot for the Revolution. A record of 0-2-3 in the league when playing in Orlando, whether it be at Exploria Stadium or the Citrus Bowl, plus this past June’s extra-time defeat in this very same building.
Make that 0-2-4 following Saturday night’s 3-3 draw.
Last year — Aug. 4 — the Revs jumped out to a two-goal lead, lost it, regained the lead, before Orlando City drilled home the equalizer in the third minute of second-half stoppage time (that was the goal where Paul Mariner, in the booth, had just explained what the Revs shouldn’t do in defending a free kick … and they did that, leading him to exclaim, “You’ve got to be kidding me!?”). That was also the game where I criticized little-used Christian Machado: “Maybe I’m an ass for thinking it, but shouldn’t a Bolivian international know how to kill off a game? Shouldn’t he have tried to play the play toward the corner instead of playing toward the center?”
And with the way the Revs were cruising in the first half Saturday night, holding a 3-1 lead into the break and with incredible numbers for possession and passing, it looked like New England would have an incredibly meaningful three points locked up in Jeff Lemieux’s carry-on headed back home for next Saturday’s reunion with Kelyn Rowe and Real Salt Lake. Three points Saturday would have, for the evening, moved the Revs up to sixth, tied on points with both Toronto and DC United, but sixth via goal difference.
In fact, I tweeted this at halftime:
#NERevs can't ease off the accelerator in the second half. That goal difference could use some more help.
— Sean Sweeney (@MrSeanMSweeney) September 15, 2019
Barkley's looking at the #NERevs run of form over the last month and a half: pic.twitter.com/ArgfQyFFMo
— Sean Sweeney (@MrSeanMSweeney) September 15, 2019