Those who know Maciel weren’t surprised by the shift he offered on Saturday night.
The 21-year-old started in the center of the park in the New England Revolution’s preseason opener against the LA Galaxy. He was calm during his 70-minute outing, winning tackles and finding passes. Perhaps most impressive was the way he positioned himself throughout the night.
This was Maciel’s first-team debut, but he’s no stranger to the organization as he featured in all 16 games for Revolution II in 2020. Just five days after signing his first-team contract, Maciel was on the field and his teammates were confident he’d be ready to go.