A reserve-laden New England Revolution team beat an undermanned Rochester Rhinos (USL) 3-0 in Wednesday’s US Open Cup fourth round in front of 1,633 fans at Chapey Field in Providence, Rhode Island.
The locals struck right before the break after Teal Bunbury sent it through from the spot in the 44th minute moments after reserve midfielder Zachary Herivaux was brought down inside the box by Rochester defender Wal Fall. New England’s backup defender Donnie Smith headed through a Daigo Kobayashi corner kick in the 50th minute. Herivaux added another for the Revs in the 51st minute after goalkeeper Tomas Gomez failed to corral a Femi Hollinger-Janzen shot.
Hear from the #NERevs following their first match of the #USOC2017. pic.twitter.com/ZXkjCe55Dv
— NewEnglandRevolution (@NERevolution) June 15, 2017
The Revolution wasted little time putting the second-division Rhinos under pressure, but Rochester withstood it for much of the first frame thanks to some timely tackles. But the guests’ efforts took a significant hit when Farrell, who was already on a caution, was booked a second time in the 40th minute for a foul on Bunbury.
Not long after, the Revolution took advantage as Herivaux darted into the box before he was cut down by Fall to earn the penalty try, which Bunbury sank right before the half to notch his first goal of the year.
The Revolution picked up right where they left off at the start of the second half. Five minutes into the half, Kobayashi sent a corner kick near the top of the box where Smith met hit with his forehead to send it through to collect his first professional goal.
Barely a minute after Smith’s score, the Rhinos were under siege again as Hollinger-Janzen made his way into the area and fired low shot that was initially saved by Gomez. But Herivaux followed up on the rebound and shoved it into the back of the net, marking the second straight year in which the Revolution’s Homegrown Player scored in the fourth round.
Holding a commanding lead against a 10-man Rochester squad, New England spent the final half hour menacing the Rhinos in search of a fourth goal. Regulars Kelyn Rowe and Diego Fagundez, who notched his club-record 13th all-time appearance in Open Cup play, both came off the bench after the hour mark to test Gomez and his defenders.
The Revolution, however, would have to be content to settle for the three-goal margin as referee Henrik Karlsson blew his whistle before a fourth strike.
For the second straight year, a trip to the round of 16 awaits the Revolution, who will face D.C. United at Harvard University’s Jordan Field on June 28.