Continue to move forward and achieve it without letting the opposing team score.
That is the New England Revolution’s plan when they face LD Alajuelense in the second leg of their home and home Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 series on Thursday night at Estadio Alejandro Morea Soto in Alajuela, Costa Rica.
The teams have played five previous Champions Cup games and the series record is 2-2-1.
“It surely will be different with their fans on their field and their stadium,” said Revolution forward Tomas Chancalay. “Surely the mentality for them is to be ready and try to win the game and we have to do our best to advance.”
Revolution first-year field manager Caleb Porter has worked the sidelines in Champions Cup tournament matches in Costa Rica during his MLS tenures with the Portland Timbers and Columbus Crew. Porter knows from experience the Los Leones’ supporters will show up in numbers and volume.
“It is always difficult to come on the road and to play in the rival’s home stadium,” said Porter. “We are very pleased that we have a 4-0 advantage right now in the aggregate and that we’ve been able to keep a clean sheet.
“We have to be aggressive and smart and organized and understand we will be under pressure because they are going to attack us. They need goals in the match so we will be under some pressure but I do think there will be opportunities from that in transition.”
Revolution first-year goalkeeper Henrich Ravas recorded clean sheets with six saves in three straight Concacaf matches. The Revolution beat Panamanian entrant CA Independiente by an aggregate score of 4-0 in the first round.
The Revolution enter the match with the upper hand after demolishing the Los Leones 4-0 in leg one on March 6 at Gillette Stadium. Chancalay, who started up top in place of suspended striker Giacomo Vrioni, finished with a brace and has scored four of the Revolution’s eight goals in the tournament. Vrioni is expected back at the striker position.
“We have to use the advantage of the 4-0 lead after that first game,” said Chancalay. “We just have to be ready and play another great game like that night to advance.
“I just have to do my job wherever the coach asks me to play. Giacomo is back and we had an MLS game with him back and me back in the midfield. I’m ready to play where I’m needed but I’m back in a role where I feel more comfortable.”
The Revolution seem very likely to advance to the quarterfinals and play against Club America or Club Deportivo Guadalajara, both of whom are well-known throughout North America and would be tough opponents.
But the obvious doesn't always happen for the Revolution, as recent history would indicate. The Revolution won leg one of their Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League series against Mexico City based Pumas USAM of Liga MX with a 3-0 victory under wintery conditions on March 9, 2022 at Gillette Stadium.
The Revolution traveled to Mexico City for leg 2 with Pumas on Wednesday, March 15 at Estadio Olimpico Universitario on March 16, where things quickly went sideways. The Revs were down 3-0 at the end of regulation and were eliminated from the tournament in a shootout.
“I know about it,” said Porter. “I wasn’t here, I wasn’t involved in that but some of the players were and we shouldn’t be traumatized by that. We need to understand that this is a new team and a new situation and there's no need to overthink it.
“We understand that if we score one goal, they need six, but we still have work to do in this game. We need to have a mindset to win the game. We know we have an advantage in the match, but we shouldn't approach this game in a way that tries to protect the advantage we have.”
While the Revolution have won all three of their Champions Cup games, they have lost all three of their MLS games, including away defeats at D.C. United and Atlanta United FC, and a home loss to Toronto FC.
The Revolution will try to end their losing streak when they welcome reigning Eastern Conference champion and Supporters Shield winners FC Cincinnati on Sunday (2 p.m.) at Gillette Stadium.
“We can’t do anything about the league right now, we need to focus on completing the job here in the Concacaf Champions Cup to advance to the quarterfinals,” said Porter. “That's our mindset now and we're not worried about anything else.”
