Revolution striker Giacomo Vrioni scores twice in 2-1 win against Atlanta

New England Revolution’s Giacomo Vrioni, right, shown during a June 10 game in Foxboro, scored two goals in a key 2-1 win over Atlanta on Wednesday night. (Photo by Paul Connors/Media News Group/Boston Herald)

FOXBORO – The New England Revolution regrouped from a devastating loss and held on to secure a quality win.

Striker Giacomo Vrioni recorded a brace while keeper Aljaz Ivacic made seven saves in a 2-1 victory over Atlanta United FC (6-9-6) before 20,171 on Wednesday night at Gillette Stadium.

The Revolution avenged their embarrassing 4-1 loss to AUFC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on March 9 and recovered from their humbling 5-1 loss to the Columbus Crew at home on June 29. The Revolution improved to 7-11-1 and closed out a busy stretch of three games in eight days on Saturday night in Seattle.

“A good win, a very important win obviously playing Atlanta and they are in around us with a six-point swing,” said Porter. “It was a very important win for us to take care of business.

“Vrioni scored a couple of great goals and we are pleased to find goals. But we’re on the next one and we’re traveling all the way across the country to Seattle and it’s going to be a tough game. But this was the most important game of the week.”

Injuries and the congested schedule forced Porter to reconfigure his attack from a 4-2-3-1 to a variable 4-3-2-1 while making personnel changes to his Starting XI. Team captain and leading scorer Carles Gil (lower leg) missed his second straight game and he is the centerpiece of Porter’s preferred 4-2-3-1 scheme. Midfielder Matt Poster wore the captain’s armband in Gil’s absence.

Henry Kessler made his 13th start in place of Dave Romney at center back alongside Xavier Arreaga, who emerged as the backline mainstay in his 11 starts. The key addition was dynamic forward Dylan Borrero, who missed the last two games with a hip injury. Homegrown midfielders Noel Buck and Esmir Bajraktarevic started together for the second straight week.

“Two young kids, homegrowns playing big roles for us and it’s great to see,” said Porter. “They are young players and there is a rollercoaster of good periods and periods where it is causal but they are improving and I was really happy with them tonight.”

Atlanta United had the Revolution backpedaling in the opening minutes of the game. The Revolution weathered the early onslaught and reversed the ball up field and into AUFC’s third of the pitch.

The Revolution went up 1-0 in the 11th minute when left back DeJuan Jones made a long clear to Vrioni, who had gained separation on AUFC defender Derrick Williams. Vrioni made a slick move in the seam between Williams and Stian Gregersen and beat keeper Brad Guzman near post for his team-high sixth of the season.

“It was another game where we came out with a very good mentality and I think it’s six games in a row where we scored the first goal,” said Porter.

Atlanta United had consecutive corner kicks during a brief late surge, but Revolution countered with a brilliant collaboration by Buck and Vrioni that made it 2-0 in the 45th minute. Buck sailed the ball across the penalty area to Vrioni, who scored on a flying kick inside the near post.

“Both our goals I thought were excellent goals,” said Porter. “The first one with DeJuan in the channel and a great individual play by Giacomo out of him. Our second goal was excellent.”

Vrioni had two chances to secure a hat trick in the 74th and 75th minutes. On the first, Vrioni was mugged in the AUFC end chasing a deep feed. On the second, Vrioni found the back of the net but the play was ruled offside. Atlanta United’s attacker Daniel Rios scored in the 90th minute to deny Ivacic his third clean sheet.

“We sat in too much and that wasn’t the plan,” said Porter. “I think in some ways guys got tired and we don’t have a ton of subs. We should have scored the third goal to put the game to bed and we don’t.”