FOXBORO, Mass. — Major League Soccer MVP candidate Lee Nguyen scored the only goal of the game as the New England Revolution earned a 1-0 win over Toronto FC on Saturday at Gillette Stadium. Nguyen’s goal pushed his season total to 18, tied for third in MLS this season and the second-highest total by a midfielder in MLS history.
New England (17-13-4, 55 points) took the lead in the 35th minute when Jose Goncalves chipped a pass over to Chris Tierney on the left flank. Tierney cut the ball back to Nguyen inside the area and Nguyen slotted a right-footed shot past Toronto FC goalkeeper Joe Bendik for his league-leading ninth game-winning goal of the season. Toronto FC (11-15-8, 41 points), who did not advance to the postseason, forced Revs goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth into four saves en route to his eighth shutout of the season.
With the win, the Revolution were unbeaten in their last nine home games of the regular season — going 8-0-1 in that time. The Revs closed the regular season with a 9-1-1 record in their final 11 games.
The Revs will enter the MLS Cup playoffs as the Eastern Conference’s No. 2 seed next week. The Revolution will play the No. 3 seed on the road either Nov. 1 or 2 in Leg 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, before returning home to Gillette Stadium for Leg 2 on Nov. 9. The third seed will be determined on Sunday, Oct. 26, when the final regular-season matches are played, and will be either Sporting Kansas City, Columbus Crew or New York Red Bulls.
Photo via Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports Images
