Revolution season reaches new low with loss to last-place Montreal
New England's win at Montreal on May 31 is its lone victory in its last 14 league matches, a 1-7-6 run that has it 8 points behind the ninth-place Red Bulls (who play Saturday night) for the East's final playoff spot.
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Owusu, a late addition to the starting lineup after former Revolution striker Giacomo Vrioni was scratched following warmups, outmuscled Wyatt Omsberg at the penalty spot for his goal in the ninth minute. Sealy's finish followed a deft touch from US international Caden Clark, and the 18-year-old Escobar roofed a left foot over Aljaz Ivacic (two saves) from 6 yards out.
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Outside of Chancalay's goal, New England's other two shots on target came from Langoni, who had a rebound cleared off the line by midfielder Joel Waterman in the 85th. Montreal goalie Jonathan Sirois's best play of the night came when he reversed course to push a deflected Chancalay cross off the line in the 53d minute. Gil got a rightfooted rocket past Sirois in the 70th, but it slammed off the crossbar.
Leo Campana, New England's record acquisition at striker this winter, did not have a shot on target. On a night of squandered chances, the most notable was his failing to redirect a powerful Chancalay free kick in the 27th minute, the ball whizzing around his head and out of play.
The Revolution are off for two weeks while last year's playoff teams participate in the Leagues Cup. They play their third straight at Gillette Stadium on Aug. 9 against D.C. United.
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Advertisement Neymar and Son Heung-min both slalomed past defenders to score and win a Puskás in 2011 and 2020, respectively. Other big names including Zlatan Ibrahimović (2013), Mohamed Salah (2018), and Cristiano Ronaldo, who won the first Puskás Award in 2009, have joined lesser known footballers like Wendell Lira (2015) and Mohd Faiz Subri, whose swirling, knuckle ball free kick in Malaysia's Super League topped the nominee's list in 2016. De la Vega would rather win a trophy with Seattle, he said, but his individual effort against Cruz Azul is worth celebrating. To hear him describe how it all came together offers a peek inside the mind of a professional athlete. 'I had my hand up asking for the ball, mainly thinking about a one-versus-one or maybe sending in a cross,' he said. 'The match was pretty open and there was a lot of space. When (Alex Roldán) and I made eye contact, I thought, 'Perfect, he's going to send the ball across to me.' 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