Giacomo Vrioni scored twice in the first half, and the visiting New England Revolution held off short-handed FC Cincinnati 2-1 on Saturday for their fourth straight victory.
Vrioni scored in the 21st and 41st minutes for New England (6-10-1, 19 points). Despite Luciano Acosta and Cincinnati (12-4-3, 39 points) relentlessly pressing, even after going down to 10 men just before the 70th minute, the Revolution recorded their fourth consecutive one-goal victory.
Yamil Asad scored in the 65th minute for Cincinnati, which entered the match second in the Eastern Conference and a winner in nine of 10. However, Cincinnati was on the wrong end of a 19-9 foul count and received six yellow cards, including two for Obinna Nwobodo.
It also didn’t help that Cincinnati was without key defenders Matt Miazga (knee injury) and Miles Robinson (international duty). Or, fellow back-liner Nick Hagglund going off with a late leg injury to leave FC Cincinnati to finish with nine men.
New England held the better of the possession through the first 20 minutes, and was rewarded shortly after. Via a pass from Carles Gil, Vrioni got the ball, moved near the top of the half-circle, then curled a low-lining left-footer into the right corner of the net.
Cincinnati nearly tied the score in the 36th minute, but Nwobodo’s shot was punched away by diving Revs goalkeeper Aljaz Ivacic. However, New England was the team that came through with the match’s second score.
On the outside bottom end of the box, Emmanuel Boateng sent the ball in for Vrioni to head home shortly before halftime.
Cincinnati stepped up the intensity level out of the break, and appeared to cut into its deficit early in the second half. However, Asad’s conversion on Nwobodo’s miss was disallowed as the offside flag was raised.
Pressing Cincinnati was eventually rewarded with a much-needed goal. Asad scored off a corner by Acosta five minutes after the hour mark. However, the momentum FC Cincinnati built was halted when Nwobodo was sent off in the 69th minute for his second yellow card for fouling a streaking Vrioni from behind.
–Field Level Media