FRISCO, Texas – A bright start fizzled for the New England Revolution on Saturday night at Toyota Stadium, but there was a notable silver lining in the Revs’ 2-1 loss to FC Dallas.
Xavier Kouassi made his long-awaited MLS debut, starting and playing 79 minutes at the base of New England’s midfield diamond. It was a milestone appearance for the 27-year-old Ivorian, who was sidelined for more than a year after suffering a major right knee injury just days after signing with the Revolution last February.
Kouassi was thrilled to be back on the field, and it was clear that his teammates were just as excited to see him return, having watched his comeback unfold over the course of the past 13 months.