LOS ANGELES, Calif. –The New England Revolution (2-1-0, 6 pts.) fell to Los Angeles FC (2-0-0, 6 pts.), 4-0, on Sunday night at BMO Stadium. Forward Gustavo Bou, making his first appearance of the 2023 season, started in the midfield and played 63 minutes. Goalkeeper Djordje Petrović recorded eight saves, matching his single-game career high.
LAFC opened the scoring in the 14th minute, when Denis Bouanga scored from the penalty spot to end New England’s shutout streak at 194 minutes to open the season. New England kept the match close until the Bouanga doubled the host’s lead in the 67th minute, his second goal of the night. LAFC added a third goal in the 83rd minute and closed the scoring six minutes into second-half stoppage time.
Midfielder Latif Blessing made his return to Los Angeles for the first time since joining New England in January. The midfielder registered a team-high 10 duels won in his second start with the Revolution. Joining Blessing in the midfield was Matt Polster, who stared the night with the captain’s armband, and Homegrown Player Noel Buck, who earned his third consecutive start to open the season.
New England returns to Gillette Stadium to host Nashville SC on Saturday, March 18. The match kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app. Saturday’s contest can also be heard on the radio on 98.5 The Sports Hub HD-2, with Brad Feldman and Charlie Davies calling the action, and on 1260 AM Nossa Radio USA in Portuguese.
MATCH NOTES
- Bruce Arena made one change to the Starting XI from last weekend’s victory over Houston Dynamo FC, with Gustavo Bou starting in place of Carles Gil.
- Bou made his season debut and logged one shot, while Gil began the night on the bench due to a muscle strain before entering the match in the 62nd minute.
- New England’s 194-minute shutout streak to open the season, a club best, was snapped in the 14th minute on Bouanga’s penalty kick goal.
- Latif Blessing suited up for his second consecutive start tonight, playing all 90 minutes in his return to Los Angeles. The former LAFC midfielder, who received his 2022 MLS Cup championship ring prior to tonight’s match, logged a team-best 10 duels won and three fouls won.
- Bobby Wood also registered his second consecutive start tonight and tallied one shot on target. Wood has appeared in all three matches in his debut campaign with New England.
- Dave Romney added four clearances, raising his league-leading mark to 17 through three matches.
- Homegrown Player Noel Buck logged his third consecutive start tonight. The 17-year-old midfielder from Arlington, Mass. successfully completed 44 of his 47 pass attempts over a 75-minute shift.
- Goalkeeper Djordje Petrović recorded eight saves tonight, matching his single-game career high. The Serbian international now owns 100 saves in MLS.
GAME CAPSULE
New England Revolution 0, Los Angeles FC 4
March 12, 2023 – BMO Stadium (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Referee: Allen Chapman
Assistant Referees: Cory Richardson (AR1), Jeremy Kieso (AR2)
Fourth Official: Mark Allatin
Video Assistant Referee: Carol Anne Chenard
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Eric Weisbrod
Weather: 65 degrees and cloudy
Scoring Summary:
LAFC- Denis Bouanga 1 (Penalty Kick) 14’
LAFC- Denis Bouanga 2 (Jose Cifuentes) 67’
LAFC- Timothy Tillman 1 (Unassisted) 83’
LAFC- Stipe Biuk 1 (Denis Bouanga 2) 90+6’
Misconduct Summary:
NE- Matt Polster (Yellow Card- Hard Foul) 67’
New England Revolution: Djordje Petrović; DeJuan Jones, Dave Romney, Henry Kessler, Brandon Bye; Noel Buck (Justin Rennicks 75’), Matt Polster ©, Latif Blessing, Gustavo Bou (Carles Gil 63’; Damian Rivera 90+1’) ; Bobby Wood (Giacomo Vrioni 63’) , Dylan Borrero (Emmanuel Boateng 63’)
Substitutes Not Used: Earl Edwards Jr., Jozy Altidore, Omar Gonzalez, Christian Makoun
Los Angeles FC: John McCarthy; Jesus Murillo, Diego Palacios, Sergi Palencia (Ryan Hollingshead 64’; Giorgio Chiellini 83’), Aaron Long (Denil Maldonado 72’); Ilie Sanchez © (Jose Cifuentes 65’), Timothy Tillman, Kwadwo Opoku (Carlos Vela 65’), Kellyn Acosta; Stipe Biuk, Denis Bouanga
Substitutes Not Used: Eldin Jakupovic, Daniel Crisostomo, Erik Duenas, Nathan Ordaz
Full statistics available HERE.
