After nearly a month away from home, the Revolution are finally returning to New England for some action under the lights of Gillette Stadium. The Revs will face off with FC Cincinnati this Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. ET, kicking off a three-game homestand.
WHERE TO WATCH
Fans in over 100 countries can enjoy the Revs all season long with MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
Watch: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
Apple TV English Talent: Chris Wittyngham (Play-by-Play), Ian Joy (Analyst)
Apple TV Spanish Talent: Oscar Salazar (Play-by-Play), Diego Tabares (Analyst)
Listen: 98.5 The Sports Hub; 1260 AM Nossa Radio (Portuguese)
English Radio Talent: Brad Feldman (Play-by-Play), Charlie Davies (Analyst)
CURRENT FORM
New England Revolution
11th in Eastern Conference (6-4-5, 23 pts.)
Last Result | 3-0 win at CF Montréal
The Revolution secured three more road points last time out in Montréal, marking their 10h road game out of 15 to start the season. With the win up North, New England now boasts a nine-game unbeaten streak (5-0-4), securing seven of those results away from home. Back on their home turf, New England will look to avenge their April 5 meeting with Cincinnati, the last team to beat them in a 1-0 loss at TQL Stadium.
After playing three road games in one week, the Revolution took a well-timed bye as several players were called to represent their countries during the international window. The break was a welcomed opportunity to rest and refocus following a grueling stretch in May, as the players look forward to being back in front of the home crowd at Gilette Stadium.
FC Cincinnati
2nd in Eastern Conference (9-5-3, 30 pts.)
Last Result | 2-1 loss vs. D.C. United
FC Cincinnati have been a consistent powerhouse in recent seasons, currently sitting second in the Eastern Conference table. In their last meeting with New England in early April, Cincinnati claimed a 1-0 win courtesy of Sergio Santos. However, dropping points in their last few games, Cincinnati have strayed slightly from their early-season form.
Going winless for four straight games (0-2-2), Cincinnati will be hungry to find a result against New England. With 25 goals scored and 24 goals against, the Orange and Blue have been balanced at both ends of the pitch. With some of the highest scoring players in the league in Kévin Denkey and Evander, New England’s resolute defense will be put to the test.
KEY PLAYERS
Revolution goalkeeper Aljaž Ivačič
The Revolution have consistently been one of the best defensive sides in all of MLS this season, leading the East with just 14 goals against. That defensive resolve has been backed by Ivačič, who has kept a career-high seven clean sheets and ranks first in MLS with a 79.3 save percentage.
Although Cincinnati haven't been scoring in abundance, they consistently find ways to secure victories. With Ivačič guarding the net, his presence could prove pivotal as the final line of defense against this resilient Cincinnati side. With 49 saves on the season, Ivačič could be the factor that tips the balance toward the Revolution.
Cincinnati midfielder Evander
Evander’s name has echoed across the league this season as one of the best attacking midfielders in MLS. He leads FC Cincinnati in shots with 55 attempts, putting 24 on frame. With seven goals and six assists, the midfielder has a team-leading 13 goal contributions in his first 15 games since arriving from Portland this past offseason.
There’s no doubt that Evander is a chance creator, leading the team in key passes. It’s apparent that Evander is the driving force behind Cincinnati’s attack and with so much of the play flowing through him, New England will need to find a way to neutralize the Brazilian's clever play.
HEAR FROM THE REVS
Head coach Caleb Porter on what he expects against FC Cincinnati:
“What I like is we’ve played a lot of the top teams in the league. When you look at the points, how the table is shaking out, and the Supporters’ Shield, we’ve played most of the top teams in the league this year. I don’t think we’ve been overmatched in any game. We’ve been in every game. Obviously, earlier in the year we were playing a little bit of a different formation. I think we’ve gotten even a bit closer to the top teams with our current run and a few tweaks that we made. I’m excited for our group to show how far we’ve come. Last time we played Cincinnati, we lost a tight game, 1-0, and we haven’t lost since. This is, for me, a good opportunity to show where we’re at midseason and how much have we improved since the last time we played Cincinnati.”
Midfielder Carles Gil on the benefits of the bye week after a road-heavy stretch to close May:
“We had a difficult last week with three games on the road with traveling. We were, I think, very tired in the last game in Montreal, even though we won the game. But I think it was a week without a game that we needed for everything – for rest and to have good training here also. And I think we are ready now for the next game.”
Gil on the importance of gaining points against conference rivals:
“Every point is important, even when you play, like this week, against a rival like Cincinnati. It’s not just that we win three points, but they lose three points too. We know that we have [played in] less games than almost every team, but we had a difficult schedule with many games on the road. Now, we have the whole month playing at home, and it’s very important for us. In the beginning of the season, we said that if we want to be there [in the playoffs], we need to win at home, and we have that opportunity right now.”
