It’s that time of the week again, when we tell you that Carles Gil has been named to the MLS Team of the Matchday presented by Audi. The Revolution captain earns the honors for the fourth time this season, after leading New England to another win at Gillette Stadium on Saturday night.
Gil opened the scoring in the Revs’ 2-1 win over Minnesota United FC, calmly converting from the spot in the fifth minute after Dor Turgeman drew a foul. The finish not only gave New England an early lead, but also moved Gil amongst the league leaders in penalty kick goals this season (3) – the 20th of his MLS career.
“Taking PKs is not easy. Yes, statistically you have more chances to score than to miss. But just because of that, there is high pressure on the guys that are taking penalties,” explained head coach Marko Mitrović following Saturday’s match. “Carles takes that with full responsibility and obviously has calmness in those moments. His level of the game helps him to execute in those PK moments. Again, those who haven’t taken penalties in their life, don't know how difficult it is for those players who are PK-takers."
Gil’s goal was his fifth of the season, keeping him atop the Revolution scoring chart and bringing him level with Luca Langoni at nine total goal contributions through the first 13 games.
After Minnesota equalized from the spot before halftime, the Revolution again turned to their difference-makers. As both he and Gil have done repeatedly this season, Langoni found the game winner just four minutes into the second half, lifting New England to seven wins in eight games at Gillette Stadium.
Following the victory, the praise for Gil and Langoni continued to be sung in the Revolution locker room.
“They're making a big, big difference. Every moment with them, they step up. I think it's really important the way they're going right now, and I hope they keep going,” midfielder Alhassan Yusuf said of the attacking duo.
The win marked the final home game until July, as New England will face just one more test at Charlotte FC this Saturday night before the league pauses for the FIFA World Cup. It was a solid boost of momentum ahead of the break, capping off a dominant first half of the season at Gillette Stadium.
Time and again, the Revolution’s success has run through Gil. And as long as he continues at this rate, New England’s ceiling in the second half of the year remains high.
