Revs rookie Brian Wright. (Keith Nordstrom/New England Revolution)
Donnie Smith saw his first professional goal in flight from the moment Daigo Kobayashi struck his corner kick.
As the driven service eventually arrived at the top of the penalty area, Smith contemplated his options. He wanted to take the ball with his foot at first, but he ultimately flung himself at the service and thrust it back across the goal into the side netting with his head.
The accuracy of that split-second decision — head or foot, stick or twist — and the performances of several younger players in the 3-0 victory over Rochester Rhinos in the fourth round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on June 14 illustrated the benefits of entering the affair after playing competitive matches in USL.
