CASA GRANDE, Ariz. – Donnie Smith is hopeful that his standout performance in the New England Revolution’s preseason opener on Tuesday morning will be a harbinger of things to come in 2017.
Smith, a 26-year-old left back entering his fifth season with the Revolution, has seen limited first-team action during his time in Foxborough, making just five MLS appearances totaling 311 minutes. He’s made an additional five appearances for the Revs in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
Injuries have played a major role in Smith’s inability to break into the lineup, but the former 2nd-round SuperDraft pick (2013) stayed local this past offseason in an effort to curb the issue, and he’s hopeful that the work he’s put in will lead to more first-team opportunities moving forward.