Jack Panayotou's First Goal Leads New England Revolution to Victory in Leagues Cup Opener

In a thrilling start to the Leagues Cup 2024, the New England Revolution secured a 1-0 victory over Mazatlán FC at Gillette Stadium, thanks to a decisive goal from Homegrown midfielder Jack Panayotou. This win marks the Revolution's first of two Group Stage matches, setting a positive tone for their campaign.

The match saw a scoreless first half, with New England's most promising attempt coming from MLS veteran Tommy McNamara, who narrowly missed with a header in the 45th minute. McNamara, making his Leagues Cup debut, started for the second consecutive game, demonstrating his valuable experience on the field.

The breakthrough came in the 69th minute when 20-year-old Panayotou scored his inaugural goal for the first team. The play began with a low cross from captain Matt Polster, whose assist—his second in Leagues Cup competition—deflected off Mazatlán’s goalkeeper and landed perfectly for Panayotou to tap in. Panayotou, the 2022 UnitedHealthcare Revolution Academy Player of the Year, has been increasingly influential, with this game marking his sixth appearance and fourth start of the season.

Defensive strength was also crucial for the Revolution. Henry Kessler and 16-year-old Homegrown player Peyton Miller made their Leagues Cup debuts, contributing to a solid backline that kept Mazatlán at bay. Goalkeeper Aljaz Ivačič was instrumental in maintaining the clean sheet, making two critical saves and securing his fourth shutout in 15 starts this season.

This match was the sixth encounter between the Revolution and a LIGA MX team since 2022. The Revolution's record against Mexican clubs now stands at an impressive 10-4-3 overall, including a dominant 10-2-3 at home. The team's performance in Leagues Cup has been consistent, remaining unbeaten in regulation time across five matches.

Leading East Group 5 with three points, the Revolution have a week to prepare for their next Group Stage match against Nashville SC on August 6 at Gillette Stadium. Fans can watch the 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff for free on the Apple TV app, with broadcasts available in both English and Spanish. Local radio will also cover the game on 1260 AM Nossa Radio USA in Portuguese.

Match Notes:

• New England's all-time record against LIGA MX opponents improved to 10-4-3, with a home record of 10-2-3.
• The Revolution maintained their unbeaten record in Leagues Cup play (2-0-3).
• The team recorded its seventh shutout of the season across all competitions, the fourth for goalkeeper Aljaz Ivačič.
• Jack Panayotou scored his first goal for the first team, converting a deflected cross.
• Four Revolution players, including Henry Kessler, Tommy McNamara, and Peyton Miller, made their Leagues Cup debuts.
• Matt Polster, who created the scoring chance with a cross, played a full 90 minutes and registered two key passes.
• Esmir Bajraktarević, in his first start, led the team with four key passes.
• Emmanuel Boateng returned from injury, playing 26 minutes off the bench.

Game Capsule:

Leagues Cup 2024
Group Stage Match #1: New England Revolution vs. Mazatlán FC
Date: July 27, 2024
Location: Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, Mass.)
Referee: Oshane Nation
Weather: 75 degrees, partly cloudy
Attendance: 16,034

Scoring Summary:
NE - Jack Panayotou 1 (Unassisted) 69'

Misconduct Summary:
MZT - Luis Sánchez (Yellow Card - Hard Foul) 59'
NE - Matt Polster (Yellow Card - Tactical Foul) 79'
MZT - Ramiro Árciga (Yellow Card - Hard Foul) 89'

New England Revolution Lineup:
Aljaž Ivačič; Peyton Miller (Nick Lima 78'), Xavier Arreaga, Henry Kessler, Brandon Bye; Mark-Anthony Kaye (Jack Panayotou 64'), Ian Harkes, Matt Polster ©; Tommy McNamara (Emmanuel Boateng 64'), Esmir Bajraktarević, Bobby Wood.
Substitutes Not Used: Earl Edwards Jr., J.D. Gunn, Andrew Farrell, Malcolm Fry, Jonathan Mensah, Dave Romney, Ryan Spaulding.

Mazatlán FC Lineup:
Hugo González; Jair Díaz (Jesús Escoboza 68'), Facundo Almada, Luis Sánchez, Bryan Colula; José Esquivel (Jordan Sierra 68'), Alan Torres (Gustavo Del Prete 68'), Roberto Meraz (Brian Rubio 90'), David Colmán (Ramiro Árciga 73'); Luis Amarilla, Edgar Bárcenas.
Substitutes Not Used: Brian Betancourt, Ricardo Gutiérrez, Ventura Alvarado, Ramiro Franco, Lucas Merolla, Omar Moreno, Salvador Rodríguez.