FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Revolution’s 2-1 road win over the Colorado Rapids was a huge three points for the visitors, as multiple weather delays due to hail and thunderstorms couldn’t stop the Revs from extending their unbeaten run to seven games.
While it was a big team accomplishment as New England snapped the Rapids’ seven-game unbeaten streak, forward Teal Bunbury set the tone for the match in the eighth minute as he gave the Revs an early lead with his 50th career MLS regular-season goal.
“It feels great,” Bunbury said following the five-and-a-half hour chaotic saga against Colorado. “Obviously, I’m really proud of that. I’ve been in this league - this is my 10th season - had a little injury early on in my career, so I’m grateful to the Lord that I’ve been able to play this game.”
The Canada-born, U.S.-raised striker's decade in MLS has been a journey in itself. Bunbury started his career drafted fourth overall to the Kansas City Wizards in 2010, when he notched five goals in his rookie year.
However, only two years into his professional path he suffered a season-ending injury as he tore his ACL with renamed Sporting Kansas City in August 2012. Bunbury stayed resilient during that time as a young, eager player, and made a return to Kansas City for 12 games late in the 2013 campaign, but was limited to playing a total of only 214 minutes that year.
Kansas City’s loss was the Revolution’s gain the following season as the Revs acquired Bunbury via trade heading into the 2014 campaign, and he hasn’t looked back since.
After notching 19 goals with Kansas City, Bunbury has totaled 31 MLS goals with the Revs to date, leading him to his 50-goal milestone.
“It’s such a blessing to play with guys who have put me in the position to score as many as I have, but now I’m trying to look for more goals and more wins,” said Bunbury. “With this group of guys, it’s been a lot of fun.”
Adding to the allure of Bunbury’s 50th goal, it came full circle against the Colorado Rapids - coincidentally the same opponent he scored his first professional goal against in 2010 during the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
Bunbury has been heating up midseason, with five goals in the past six games in all competitions. As his individual confidence grows each time he hits the back of the net, the group as a whole continues to build momentum and conviction.
“The mood’s high," said Bunbury. "Undefeated in seven, we don’t want to get complacent. We don’t want to get our heads too full, but we’re definitely in a good place.
“I think you can see it, I think fans can see it. Us as players, we’re playing with a little more fun I think - enjoyment of the game. We’ve just got to make sure we’re training hard, sticking to little details and continue to stay on each other and working hard.”
Both Bunbury and the Revs will get a chance to show the fans and staff what they can do on the road again on Friday, July 12, against D.C. United. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET at Audi Field, and the match will be nationally televised on ESPN.
