Carles Gil Strikes Early as New England Revolution Rout Atlanta United 4-1

The New England Revolution introduced a new Designated Player before kickoff on Saturday night, then spent the next 90 minutes showing Jack Harrison exactly what he signed up for. Carles Gil curled in the opener, Dor Turgeman doubled it, two kids added more, and a season-high crowd at Gillette Stadium went home happy.

New England beat Atlanta United 4-1 in front of 34,428 fans, the Revolution's biggest home crowd of the season, according to the club. Goals from Gil, Turgeman, Peyton Miller and Brooklyn Raines buried a tired Atlanta side, and Miguel Almirón's late strike was the only reply.

Gil Opens the Floodgates

Atlanta actually started brighter. The visitors earned three corners in the opening minutes, Júnior Alonso had a header blocked in the sixth, and Almirón got two looks in the 10th minute, missing once and forcing a Matt Turner save with the second.

Then New England struck the first real blow. In the 11th minute, Gil took a layoff from Matt Polster outside the box, shifted past a defender and whipped a left-footed shot into the bottom left corner. ESPN credited Polster with the assist, while the Revolution also credited Turgeman with a secondary assist for his part in the build-up. Atlanta's own recap called the goal a backbreaker, noting the 5-Stripes had more than 56 percent of the ball in the five minutes before it.

Atlanta kept pushing. Elías Báez and Will Reilly had shots blocked and Tristan Muyumba went close from more than 35 yards in the 34th minute. But New England doubled its lead in the 36th. Alhassan Yusuf whipped in a ball after a corner, and Turgeman finished from the right side of the six-yard box, the shot going in off the right post according to Atlanta. The Revolution said the goal ended an eight-game scoring drought for the Israeli forward.

Almirón nearly got one back before the break. His shot from the center of the box in the 41st minute hit the right post, and a minute later Turner pushed away his long-range effort. It was 2-0 at halftime.

Two Kids, Two More Goals

The Revolution put the game away in the second half with goals from an 18-year-old and a 21-year-old. In the 56th minute, Miller finished from very close range into the top right corner. ESPN credited Polster with his second assist of the night, while New England credited Yusuf and Gil. The Revolution said it was the 18-year-old's fourth goal of the season and noted he has scored in both meetings with Atlanta this year.

Yusuf left with an injury three minutes later, replaced by Jackson Yueill. Then in the 67th minute, Raines, 21, scored his first MLS goal with a left-footed finish from the center of the box. ESPN credited Marcos Zambrano with the assist, while the Revolution credited Yueill after a quick give-and-go.

Almirón finally got his goal in the 85th minute, slotting in a left-footed finish from the center of the box after a combination with Alexey Miranchuk. Atlanta said the goal was the Paraguayan's 30th for the club in all competitions and made him the first player in Atlanta United history to reach the 30-30 club in goals and assists.

The Main Characters

Carles Gil scored his sixth goal of the season and kept pulling the strings. MLSsoccer.com put him in its Team of the Matchday starting lineup, and his goal finished fourth in the Goal of the Matchday fan vote.

Matt Polster was credited by ESPN with two assists from right back, a quietly huge night in what the club said was only his second straight start at right back.

Brooklyn Raines scored his first MLS goal and was named to the bench of MLSsoccer.com's Team of the Matchday. "It feels amazing, especially because my family was here," he said, per the Revolution.

Miguel Almirón took seven shots, put four on target, hit the post and finally scored. He did everything but pull Atlanta back into it.

Matt Turner made five saves, including three on Almirón, and the Revs held Atlanta to one goal on six shots on target.

The Turning Point

Turgeman's goal in the 36th minute. Atlanta had been the more active side for long stretches of the half and was pressing for an equalizer. Instead, New England turned a corner into a two-goal cushion, and Almirón's post-and-save combination a few minutes later felt like the night telling Atlanta to go home.

Stats That Matter

• Shots on goal: New England 7, Atlanta 6.
• Total shots: Atlanta 17, New England 11.
• Possession: Atlanta 54.2 percent.
• Saves: Turner 5, Lucas Hoyos 3.
• Clearances: New England 26, Atlanta 11.

What It Means

New England improved to 9-2-5 with 29 points, and the club said the win lifted the Revolution to third in the Eastern Conference. They are now 8-1-1 at home, have taken points from 10 of their last 12 league matches and have beaten Atlanta five straight times dating to July 2024, per the club. Head coach Marko Mitrović made clear the home form is no accident. "We want them to believe in us and trust us. When we put these things together, it is going to be wonderful," he said. Next up is a trip to CF Montréal on Saturday, Aug. 1.

Atlanta fell to 3-3-11 with 12 points in what the club said was its third match in eight days. The 5-Stripes visit the Philadelphia Union on Aug. 1.

The Closing Take

Atlanta had the ball, the shots and Almirón making history. New England had the finishing. On a night when Harrison watched from the building as a new arrival, the Revolution put on the kind of show that makes a new signing feel like he picked the right team. Four goals, a packed house and two teenagers... well, one teenager and a 21-year-old. Close enough.

Stats from ESPN's match data. Postgame quotes and additional details as reported by the New England Revolution, Atlanta United, MLSsoccer.com and The Associated Press.