FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Diego Fagundez’s game-winning goal garnered most of the attention in the aftermath of the New England Revolution’s 1-0 win over the New York Red Bulls last Friday night, but there was a play at the other end of the field that was just as crucial in securing the points.
With the Revs clinging to a 1-0 advantage in the 81st minute and New York pressing for an equalizer, goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth was called upon to make a point-blank save on Bradley Wright-Phillips, who’d found the ball at his feet just five yards from goal.
It was Shuttleworth’s fifth and final save of the night – and his most important, too – as he registered his second shutout of the season, tied with five other goalkeepers for most in MLS.
“Bobby makes great saves throughout the course of a season, but we’re really looking for him to make those saves when you’re 0-0 or up 1-0 to preserve the three points or preserve a draw on the road,” said Revolution head coach Jay Heaps.
“That’s where I think his maturity is really getting better. He’s starting to make those saves in key games, in key moments that help you win. That’s really the difference.”
Shuttleworth is currently in his third season as the Revolution’s undisputed number one goalkeeper after splitting time with Revolution legend Matt Reis in 2013. He’s kept 31 clean sheets in 109 starts and is second to Reis in just about every meaningful goalkeeping stat in Revolution history.
Tied for second in the league with 18 saves, Shuttleworth is the only goalkeeper to have saved two penalties this year after he stopped a pair against the Philadelphia Union on March 20 – making him just the fifth keeper in MLS history to save two PKs in a single game.
“It’s nothing new to us, really, who’ve known Bobby in the last few years,” said left back Chris Tierney. “It seems like when you need a save, he tends to make that play. It’s what we expect from him.”
Shuttleworth was named the Revolution’s Santander Man of the Month for March and followed that up with Santander Man of the Match honors in the first game of April, and so long as the 28-year-old goalkeeper continues his fine run of form, the Revs will always be in every game.
“We feel like we’ve got one of the top goalkeepers in the league,” said Tierney. “He’s showing that so far this season and saving our butts a bunch of times. We’ll expect him to continue to play the way he has been. He’s a huge part of what we’re doing here.”
