FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – New England Revolution II (12-5-6; 46 pts.) defeated Atlanta United 2 (7-11-5; 27 pts.), 5-1, on Sunday night at Gillette Stadium, extending the team’s best-ever unbeaten streak to eight consecutive games. Jordan Adebayo-Smith recorded a brace while Esmir Bajraktarević, Damian Rivera, and Noble Okello each scored.
Revolution II found the scoresheet first with Bajraktarević and Tommy McNamara causing a turnover just outside of the box. Bajraktarević sent a cross to Rivera who sailed a left-footed shot to the bottom right corner for his sixth goal of the season. Atlanta equalized in the 19th minute, sending the two sides to halftime level.
The second half was all New England as Revolution II tallied four times in the second 45 minutes. Adebayo-Smith’s first goal of the match came after McNamara snuck the ball through an Atlanta defender to the middle of the box where Adebayo-Smith’s initial shot was blocked into the air allowing the East London native to head it past Atlanta’s keeper in the 67th minute.
Bajraktarević netted his sixth of the season in the 80th minute, one-timing a deflected cross from Ítalo into the bottom right corner. Adebayo-Smith secured his first brace and team-leading 12th goal of the season, sinking another cross from Ítalo just under the Atlanta keeper. Okello capped off the scoring by tapping in a corner kick from midfielder Patrick Leal in second half stoppage time to secure New England’s 12th win of 2023.
Revolution II returns to action on Friday, August 18, heading to York Lions Stadium to take on Toronto FC II. The match kicks off at 7:00 p.m. ET and streams live on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
New England Revolution II 5, Atlanta United 2 1
August 13, 2023 – Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, Mass.)
- New England extended its unbeaten streak to eight matches with the team’s 12th win of the 2023 season. Revolution II remains in second place in the Eastern Conference, four points behind Crown Legacy FC and four points above Columbus Crew 2.
- New England recorded a season-high 27 shots in the match with 10 different players recording at least one shot.
- Forward Jordan Adebayo-Smith recorded his first brace in the match, extending his team-lead to 12 goals on the season and placing him at fourth-most goals in the league.
- Homegrown midfielder Esmir Bajraktarević and Damian Rivera each notched their sixth goals of the year with Bajraktarević earning his first assist on Rivera’s tally.
- Revolution midfielder Tommy McNamara played the full 90 and recorded four shots, two on target.
- Midfielder Noble Okello earned his first goal with Revolution II, tapping in a corner kick from midfielder Patrick Leal who earned his second assist in his third appearance with New England’s second team.
- Revolution forward Tomás Chancalay played 20 minutes in his first professional match at Gillette Stadium before exiting the game with a thigh contusion.
GAME CAPSULE
Referee: Adam Mitchell
Assistant Referees: Alexandru Focea, Tom Felice
Fourth Official: Stephanie McFarland
Weather: 78 degrees and sunny
Scoring Summary:
NE - Damian Rivera 6 ( Esmir Bajraktarević 1 ) 8’
ATL - Jackson Conway (Luke Brennan) 19’
NE – Jordan Adebayo-Smith 11 (Unassisted) 67’
NE – Esmir Bajraktarević 6 (Unassisted) 80’
NE – Jordan Adebayo-Smith 12 (Ítalo 1) 90+1’
NE – Noble Okello 1 (Patrick Leal 2) 90+4’
Misconduct Summary:
ATL - Christopher Gloster (Yellow Card – Foul) 40’
NE – Esmir Bajraktarević (Yellow Card – Foul) 45+2’
NE – Jake Rozhansky (Yellow Card – Dissent)
ATL – Karim Tmimi (Yellow Card – Foul) 70’
NE – Damian Rivera (Yellow Card - Foul) 88’
ATL – Jackson Conway (Yellow Card – Foul) 90’
ATL - Cooper Sanchez (Yellow Card – Foul) 90+3’
New England Revolution II: Jacob Jackson; Colby Quiñónes (Peyton Miller 46’), Pierre Cayet, Victor Souza, Santiago Suárez; Esmir Bajraktarević (Patrick Leal 82’), Jake Rozhansky (Noble Okello 68’), Tommy McNamara; Damian Rivera, Tomás Chancalay (Jordan Adebayo-Smith 21’),Malcolm Fry (Ítalo 68’).
Substitutes Not Used: Nico Campuzano, Jacob Akanyirige, Ben Awashie, Olger Escobar.
Atlanta United 2: Justin Garces; Christopher Gloster (Nelson Orji 52’) Efraín Morales (Fuad Adeniyi 52’), Kofi Twumasi, Erik Centeno; Toni Tiente, Alan Carleton (Jonathan Villal 68’); Karim Tmimi (Matías Gallardo 85’), Nick Firmino, Luke Brennan (Cooper Sanchez 85’); Jackson Conway.
Substitutes Not Used: Jonathan Ransom, David Mejía.
