New England Revolution
New England let a 2-0 lead slip, but still found a way thanks to two stoppage time goals.
The Revolution defeated Orlando City SC 4-2 on Saturday at Gillette Stadium in a back-and-forth game that ended with New England picking up all three points.
Two goals each from Carles Gil and Peyton Miller were enough to overcome opposing strikes from Orlando City’s Iván Angulo and Martin Ojeda. Having taken a 2-0 lead, New England proceeded to squander the advantage (culminating with a controversial penalty kick being awarded to Orlando in the 88th minute).
But thanks to the dynamic play of Miller and continuous New England counterattacking efforts, Marko Mitrović’s team hammered in two more goals in stoppage time to claim the win. As a result, the Revolution vaulted into second place in the Eastern Conference with Inter Miami idle on Saturday.
Here are a few takeaways:
Was this Peyton Miller’s best game as a professional?
Coming in the same week that he received his first U.S. men’s senior national team call-up, Miller shined bright against Orlando City under the Gillette Stadium lights.
The 18-year-old is one of the most talented players to ever come out of the Revolution academy, yet his performance on Saturday showcased a growing level of maturity.
While Miller has always possessed a quickness and speed that is a cut above virtually anyone else in MLS, he combined that with tactical understanding and a calm ability to finish when given goal-scoring opportunities.
Deployed on the wings, Miller rotated between left and right, supplying multiple crosses which should’ve probably resulted in goals (New England striker Dor Turgeman will want at least one of those chances back).
Yet it was Miller’s direct runs on counters that proved devastating for Orlando, who had no answer. Once threaded through on goal, however, Miller didn’t simply try to smash the ball past the keeper. On both goals — including what proved to be the game-winner in stoppage time — he picked his head up and coolly placed the ball into the goal with accuracy. From top to bottom, it was arguably the best game of his professional career.
Revolution counterattack firing on all cylinders
With Miller leading the charge, New England responded to a squandered two-goal lead in the second half by escalating the adrenaline and aggression.
Having controlled the match in the first half (attaining a lead via Gil’s deflected shot, and then holding nearly 60-percent possession), the second 45-minute period became an up-and-down track meet.
And while it may not be the default approach for the Revolution — Mitrović acknowledged after the game that the frenetic pace of the second half was not part of the original plan — counterattacking certainly seemed to fit the team’s roster characteristics.
With Miller, fellow USMNT call-up Brooklyn Raines, Turgeman, and outside backs like Will Sands and Ilay Feingold (who was subbed on in the second half) able and willing to fly forward after recovering possession, it proved to be a combustible scenario for Orlando’s stretched defense.
With the playoffs looming, New England’s ability to find a viable alternative tactical approach when the original game-plan faltered could prove to be extremely important.
A few concerning moments in defense
Of the many positives to take away from Saturday, one of the enduring critiques remains the occasional defensive lapses.
Especially without the versatile and valuable presence of Alhassan Yusuf in central midfield (the 26-year-old Nigerian is set to miss “at least six weeks” due to a hamstring strain), the Revolution sometimes appear to lack an ability to disrupt opposing attacks during their buildup. This was evident in Orlando’s first goal, which stemmed from a seemingly preventable sequence in which the visitors carved their way right through the heart of the Revolution defense.
And while center-back Ethan Kohler has developed significantly in 2026 under the tutelage of his former U.S. youth national team coach in Mitrović — Kohler’s capacity to step up into midfield and connect passes is particularly intriguing — the 21-year-old periodically still gets himself into trouble holding onto the ball for a moment too long. He was dispossessed twice in his own half on Saturday, though luckily neither occasion led to an Orlando goal (Kohler blocked the shot himself on one occasion).
Looking ahead
New England overtook Miami (who will play on Sunday) to move into second in the East at the end of Sept. 19. When fans considered where the team was in the two previous seasons around this time of year (at or near the bottom of the standings), that alone is a remarkable achievement.
With both Yusuf and winger Jack Harrison out for potentially the rest of at least the regular season, the final few games could see more squad rotation.
One additional factor in the short term will also be the always absurd MLS scheduling decision to play through a FIFA international break. The Revolution are set to face Real Salt Lake next on Sept. 26, yet will be without Miller and Raines (called up by the U.S. men’s team) and Turgeman and Feingold (called up by the Israeli national team). New England will therefore likely be without as many as six starters, presenting an interesting lineup decision for Mitrović.
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