New England II suffered a 3:4 defeat against Bethlehem Steel in the MLS Next Pro Group Stage on Saturday night. The visitors secured all three points despite playing much of the second half with ten men after a late first-half dismissal. It was a result that leaves the hosts questioning their defensive shape.
The hosts started brighter, taking the lead through J. Griffin in the ninth minute. M. Morgan equalised shortly after, capitalising on a moment of space to put the crowd on their feet. To be fair, the balance shifted when K. LeBlanc fired in for Bethlehem in the 27th minute.
And here's the thing about the half before the break: it ended in chaos. M. Wells received a second yellow card in the 45+4th minute, leaving New England to chase the game. By then, C. Oliveira had already pulled Bethlehem ahead at the 45+16th mark, and LeBlanc added a second just before the whistle.
The visitors looked comfortable after the restart. G. Dahlin extended the lead in the 66th minute, and New England’s hopes were further dented when M. Morgan missed a penalty in the 82nd minute. They needed a lifeline, but the defence struggled to clear the danger.
S. Korzeniowski made it 3:4 in the 84th minute, and an unnamed goal in the 85th minute sealed the result. The hosts threw bodies forward, but substitutions like W. Ferreira and O. Benitez could not turn the tide.
New England stay sixth with 43 points from 26 games. Bethlehem climb slightly to 10th with 39 points. The gap between them has narrowed, though the hosts still hold the advantage.