Revolution's latest loss exposed their desperate need for a finisher, a hole they won't easily fill

Boston Globe

16-06-2025

There is a chance the situation could improve should Campana (hamstring) return for the June 25 home date against Nashville but he has missed seven games and departed in the first half of two others, raising questions about durability. Meanwhile, the team's other starting forward, Ignatius Ganago, will be
That leaves Tomás Chancalay and Maxi Urruti up front. Both are proven to be effective alongside a physical striker or off the bench, but the Revolution are missing the combination of aerial threat, back-to-goal presence, and opportunism of, say, Cincinnati's Kévin Denkey and Kei Kamara, who displayed their effectiveness Saturday as Denkey converted after Kamara's holdup play ignited a counterattack.
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Kévin Denkey puts it away to give
📺
— Major League Soccer (@MLS)
Denkey has 11 goals this season. Kamara has 146 in his MLS career, including 19 during a two-year stint with the Revolution.
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After the match, coach Caleb Porter noted the Revolution needed a 10-goal 'minimum' striker and talked about 'find[ing] that guy, whether it's here or somewhere else.'
Unfortunately, they have not been able to uncover a double-figure forward since 2021, when Adam Buksa (16) and Gustavo Bou (15) helped the team set a league record for points. The Revolution lost Buksa via a transfer to Europe, and Bou declined due to injury. (He was replaced by Chancalay, who underwent knee surgery last year.)
Placing scoring hopes on Campana was a gamble, though he appeared ready to break out after filling a reserve role with Inter Miami. He was one of only two forwards which have achieved double-figure goals in an MLS season, his 11 in 2022 going with Urruti's 12 in 2017 and 10 in 2014.
Against Cincinnati (10-5-3, 33 points), second place in the Eastern Conference, the Revolution attacked effectively on the flanks, but without a prominent target crosses were easily stopped by a back line led by Matt Miazga. Yes, they might have been able to finish off a low cross (as Cincinnati did), but crossing effectiveness depends on a combination of factors. Aerial ability is, obviously, primary.
Luis Diaz was used as a starter and on the attack on Saturday due to Caleb Porter's options being severely limited.
David Silverman/New England Revolution
The Revolution also had chances to break through via set pieces — they earned eight corners and 13 free kicks — but mostly were unable to get off effective shots. Plus, Luis Diaz got a 52nd-minute breakaway, but could not pull the trigger.
The Revolution need to adjust their mindset at Gillette Stadium, as opposing teams' tactics become based on physicality and counterattacking. While the Revolution were threatening early in the second
half, Cincinnati focused on stopping sequences before they could get started.
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Seconds after Diaz's breakaway, Luca Orellano was cautioned, and Pavel Bucha committed a hard foul on Carles Gil. The play could be described as negative, but also as resourcefulness.
All season, the Revolution have defended well and demonstrated a decent possession game. Near the halfway point, they rank second in the league in goals against (15), and their plus-4 goal difference is better than Cincinnati's (plus-2), indications of a team close to contending status.
As Porter noted, the Revolution 'were in way more positions than they were to score, and we have to find a goal. They pull off the cross into Denkey and he finds a half chance. That's why Denkey was such a big transfer in. That's what he does.'
The Revolution are close to having as complete a roster as league restrictions allow, minus a top-level striker. Weighing against them filling the gap are the team's artificial turf surface at home, its unfavorable climate, plus an uneven history of success. They do have Gil, though, among the best setup midfielders in the league and their best hope for a recruiter.
Without a consistent scoring threat, ambitions will be limited, but demand for forwards outpaces supply. And it will not necessarily be easy to bring in a difference-maker without spending close to the $16.2 million Cincy paid for Denkey's transfer from Cercle Brugge.