Tag Archives: New England Revolution

Lionel Messi Helps Inter Miami Break Major League Soccer Record for Most Points in Single Season

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Lionel Messi has helped Inter Miami break a Major League Soccer record. 

The 37-year-old Argentine professional footballer scored a stunning 11-minute hat trick to his team break the MLS record for most points in a single season, after defeating the New England Revolution 6-2 on Saturday at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Lionel MessiMiami concluded the MLS regular season with 74 points in 34 games and a 22-4-8 (W-L-D) record, narrowly besting the Revolution’s 2021 mark of 73 points.

Luis Suárez propelled Inter Miami to rally from two goals down after 34 minutes, scoring twice in under four minutes to keep alive the chase for the points record.

Benjamin Cremaschi then put Miami ahead for the first time in the 58th minute.

But it was captain Messi who fittingly cemented Inter Miami’s name in league history when scoring the fourth, fifth and sixth goals.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner came off the bench in the 55th minute to make an instant impact with his first hat trick for Miami, in the process becoming the club’s all-time leading scorer with 33 goals.

Miami also became the first team in MLS history to have multiple players score at least 20 goals in a season.

With 20 goals apiece, Messi and Suárez are set to finish second in the Golden Boot race to D.C. United’s Christian Benteke. Messi, though, leads the league in total goal contributions with a combined 36 goals and assists in only 19 games.

“Our players are what has made this season successful,” Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham said. “Our captain has led us. Our players have led us in times where it was difficult. But now, tonight we celebrate. Tomorrow, we prepare for Friday, the playoffs.”

It was a night of celebration for Miami. The team was awarded the 2024 Supporters’ Shield after the final whistle, having clinched the prize for best regular-season record in MLS for the first time earlier this month.

The trophy was Miami’s first piece of MLS silverware since debuting as an expansion club in 2020.

Inter Miami previously lifted the inaugural MLS vs. Liga MX Leagues Cup trophy soon after Messi’s arrival in the summer of 2023.

After Saturday’s win, FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced Miami would take part in the 2025 Club World Cup and host the expanded 32-team tournament’s opening game at Hard Rock Stadium.

More immediately, Inter Miami will now have home-field advantage through the MLS playoffs. The team kicks off the postseason Friday against the winner of the Eastern Conference wild-card match between CF Montreal and Atlanta United.

“Let’s get ready for the playoffs,” Beckham said.

Luciano Acosta Helps Lead FC Cincinnati to Its First-Ever MLS Supporters’ Shield

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Luciano Acosta has helped FC Cincinnati make history….

With a league-leading 15 goals as well as 13 assists from the 29-year-old Argentine professional footballer to make him the clear front-runner for the Major League Soccer MVP award, FC Cincinnati won the MLS Supporters’ Shield for the first time in club history with a 3-2 win at Toronto FC on Saturday, completing a remarkable turnaround for the former perennial MLS basement dweller.

Luciano AcostaCincinnati has led the MLS regular-season standings for the majority of the 2023 season before its win in Toronto gave the team an unassailable lead over its rivals with three games to play. 

With 65 points from 31 matches, Cincinnati can no longer be caught by its nearest challengers St. Louis City SC, Orlando City and the New England Revolution.

Saturday’s win also ensures Cincinnati will take the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference and will have home-field advantage throughout the MLS Cup playoffs.

Cincinnati is the 16th different club in MLS’ 28 seasons to win the Supporters’ Shield and the fifth active team to do so in its first five seasons in the league.

The achievement is made all the more notable given that in its first three seasons in the league, between 2019 and 2021, Cincinnati finished as the worst team in MLS. The club’s first three seasons rank among the 10 worst in the history of MLS, with Cincinnati long seen as a symbol of dysfunction on and off the field.

But the tide began to turn last season with the appointment of former Philadelphia Union assistant Pat Noonan — the club’s fourth permanent head coach in MLS — and the arrival of Acosta.

A first playoff appearance followed at the end of 2022 before the team came storming out of the gates in 2023, losing just one of its first 18 matches.

Despite clinching the Supporters’ Shield, Cincinnati still has something to play for in the remainder of the regular season. Should the team win its final three games, it will eclipse the single-season MLS points record of 73 set by the New England Revolution in 2021.

Tab Ramos Named New England Revolution Assistant Coach

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It’s a revolutionary time for Tab Ramos.

The 56-year-old Uruguayan American former soccer player, former Houston Dynamo FC and U.S. U-20 national team manager has signed with the New England Revolution  as an assistant coach, according to ESPN.

Tab RamosRamos will assist current interim manager Clint Peay until the end of the season.

The former U.S. international joins a coaching staff that has experienced significant upheaval in the last six weeks. Back in late July, then-manager and sporting director Bruce Arena was placed on administrative leave pending an MLS investigation into allegations of “insensitive and inappropriate remarks.”

While the precise results of the investigation haven’t been made public, Arena resigned from both positions on September 9, with the league stating that Arena must petition Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber in order to work in the league again.

Richie Williams was initially named interim manager, and recorded a 1-1-4 record in all competitions, but was relieved of his duties on September 12 amid reports of player complaints at the lack of transparency surrounding the investigation into Arena, and Williams reported role in facilitating it.

Peay, who had previously been the manager of the Revolution’s second team, was tasked with leading the first team through the end of this season, with former Revolution II assistant until the end of the season.

Revolution II assistant Marcelo Santos was also promoted to the first team. Peay’s first game in charge came last weekend, with the Revs falling on the road to the Colorado Rapids, 2-1.

Ramos’ presence is intended to provide Peay with an additional layer of MLS knowledge. Ramos managed the Dynamo from January of 2020 through November of 2021.

He oversaw two seasons in which Houston failed to make the postseason, compiling a regular season record of 10-26-21.

Ramos went on to manage USL Championship side Hartford Athletic from September of 2022 through July of 2023, with a record of 5-13-4 over two seasons.

Ramos had considerably more success managing the U.S. U-20 national team, a post he held from 2011-19. From 2015-19 he led the U-20s to three consecutive quarterfinal finishes at the FIFA U-20 World Cup.

His spell with the U-20s also saw him serve as an assistant coach to the full national team under Jurgen Klinsmann as well as hold he youth technical director for the U.S. Soccer Federation.

As a player, Ramos spent time with clubs in Spain, Mexico and the U.S. and was the first signing in the history of MLS when he joined what was then known as the MetroStars, the forerunner of the New York Red Bulls.

At international level, Ramos made 81 appearances for the U.S., scoring eight goals. He was on the U.S. roster for the 1990, 1994, and 1998 FIFA World Cups.

FC Dallas’ Ricardo Pepi Named Young Player of the Year by MLS

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Ricardo Pepi is celebrating a banner year with a special prize…

The 18-year-old Mexican American soccer player and FC Dallas star has been named the 2021 Major League Soccer Young Player of the Year.

Ricardo PepiPepi, a forward, led his club with 13 goals and added three assists in 31 games, including 24 starts.

He recorded his first MLS hat trick against the LA Galaxy on July 24 and scored twice in games against the New England Revolution (June 27) and Austin FC (Aug. 29).

Pepi received 39.47% of the votes from MLS players, technical staff and media members.

Revolution midfielder Tajon Buchanan was the runner-up at 31.1%.

Pepi has produced 15 goals and four assists in 55 matches (28 starts) since making his MLS debut in 2019.

He also made his debut earlier this year with the United States men’s national team. In six appearances, he has three goals.

The Young Player of the Year award honors the top player in the league age 22 and under. Players born on or before Jan. 1, 1999 were eligible for selection.

Juan Agudelo Signs One-Year Contract with Minnesota United FC

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Juan Agudelo is heading to the Land of 10,000 Lakes…

Minnesota United FC has added a much-needed striker on a free transfer by signing the 28-year-old Colombian professional soccer player, veteran MLS forward and former USMNT player to a one-year deal.

Juan Agudelo

Last season, Agudelo played 14 games and scored three goals with Major League Soccer side Inter Miami CF. Before that, he played most of his career in MLS with the New England Revolution, scoring 35 goals in 156 regular-season games.

“The crazy thing about Juan [Agudelo] is, you forget he’s just 28. He seems to have been around for years and I go back to Juan, all the way back to the beginning of Orlando,” said Minnesota United coach Adrian Heath. “He was going to go to England, Stoke City, and he was trying to get the paperwork through. He came in and asked if he could train for a week.

“Six weeks later he was still training for us, so we have got a little bit of a connection there. We just think he’s going to be another really valuable squad player for what’s going to be another really hectic year with the condensed program schedule, and for us to bring somebody in who we know can play in the MLS, play three or four positions, he can play through the middle, he can play wide right, wide left.

“Nothing is going to faze him. He had a really good impact last year when he played for Inter Miami. I think it’s a really good pick up for us.”

Agudelo began his professional career in 2010 as a Homegrown Player for the New York Red Bulls, playing his first two seasons in New Jersey. In his time with the club, he made 33 regular season appearances, totaling six goals and two assists.

Internationally, Agudelo has represented the United States at various age levels, having moved to the U.S. from Colombia at the age of seven.

He made appearances for the U17, U20 and U23 teams before earning senior call-ups.

In total, Agudelo has earned 28 senior appearances. He made his debut in a 2010 match against South Africa and scored the game’s only goal, at the time becoming the country’s youngest ever goal scorer in a senior game.