MLS New England Revolution

Revolution Open 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup Campaign Wednesday against Panamanian Side CA Independiente

February 20, 2024 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
New England Revolution News Release


Coclé Province, Panama - The New England Revolution are set to begin the new season with the team's opening match in the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup on Wednesday, Feb. 21 away at Panamanian side Club Atlético Independiente. The first leg of Round One at Estadio Universitario FC in the Coclé Province of Panama will kick off at 8:00 p.m. ET and is FREE to watch on Tubi. The contest airs locally on the radio via 1260 AM "Nossa Radio USA" in Portuguese.

New England is making its fifth appearance in the Concacaf Champions Cup after qualifying for the continental tournament with a sixth-place finish in last season's MLS Supporters' Shield standings. This year marks the second time in the last three seasons that New England has participated in the Concacaf Champions Cup, reaching the quarterfinal round in 2022. Wednesday's match marks the first time the Revolution will face a team from Panama in official competition.

Wednesday's match will be the first match at the helm for new Revolution Head Coach Caleb Porter. Set to begin his 10th season coaching in Major League Soccer, Porter is a two-time MLS Cup Champion with Portland (2015) and Columbus (2020). Porter's resume includes four separate appearances in the Concacaf Champions Cup with a 7-3-2 record in the tournament, including a quarterfinal berth in 2021. When New England begins the MLS regular season this Saturday at D.C. United, Porter will begin his pursuit of becoming the first MLS coach to win three MLS Cup titles with three different clubs.

The Revolution are led into 2024 by a corps of returning players including captain and midfielder Carles Gil. Set to begin his sixth MLS season, the two-time Best XI midfielder ranks fourth in club history with 110 goal contributions in all competitions, needing just three more goals to become the fifth member of the Revolution's 40-goal and 40-assist club. The Spanish playmaker owns two assists in as many Concacaf Champions Cup appearances.

Along with Gil, fellow Designated Players Giacomo Vrioni and Tomás Chancalay also return to New England to lead the attack in 2024. Chancalay, who made the permanent move to New England in November after spending the final third of the 2023 season on loan from Racing Club, tallied six goals in his 11 regular season appearances last season. Vrioni, entering his third MLS season, owns 10 goals in all competitions during his Revolution tenure, including the only international hat trick in club history - recorded in Leagues Cup 2023 against LIGA MX side Atlético de San Luis.

The Revolution are anchored in defense by an experienced backline that includes U.S. Men's National Team defender DeJuan Jones, 12th-year stalwart Andrew Farrell, and Dave Romney, who played every minute of the 2023 season for the club. Several key newcomers arrived to New England in the offseason, headlined by goalkeeper Henrich Ravas, who could make his club debut on Wednesday. The Slovakia international was acquired from Polish side Widzew Ňódź in January. Veteran defenders Jonathan Mensah and Nick Lima also joined New England for the upcoming season and are poised to provide valuable depth on the backline. Mensah, a veteran of seven MLS seasons as well as two FIFA World Cups with his native Ghana, captained Porter's Columbus side to the MLS Cup title in 2020. Lima enters his eighth season in MLS after being acquired via trade with Austin FC in December.

New England's opponent, CA Independiente, enters Concacaf Champions Cup play for the second time in its history, its first since a quarterfinal appearance in 2019. The Panamanian side holds a 2-1-1 record in tournament play. Founded in 1982, Independiente is the three-time reigning champion of Panama's domestic league, having claimed the title in both the Apertura and Clausura in 2023, as well as the 2022 Clausura. This season, Independiente holds a 2-1-2 record in the 2024 Apertura and sits in first place in the Liga Panameña de Fútbol Western Conference.

2024 Concacaf Champions Cup

Round One - Leg 1

New England Revolution at CA Independiente

Date: Wednesday, February 21, 2024

Kickoff: 8:00 p.m. ET

Location: Estadio Universitario FC (Coclé Province, Panama)

WATCH & LISTEN:

Streaming: FREE on Tubi

Portuguese Radio: WBIX 1260 AM "Nossa Radio USA"

Check out the New England Revolution Statistics



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