The Philadelphia Union haven’t won in over a month. The New England Revolution have the fewest points in MLS.
When the two teams collide Saturday in Foxborough, Mass., the meeting won’t come close to matching the spectacle of the Revolution’s most recent home contest — April 27 against Lionel Messi and Inter Miami — but both will be looking for a much-needed spark.
The Union (3-4-5, 14 points) are mired in a six-game winless skid (0-4-2) while losing four straight matches at home, a club record. They appeared to salvage a draw against New York City FC on Wednesday but fell 2-1 as an offside call negated a would-be equalizer from Jack Elliott deep in second-half stoppage time.
“We have to find a way to get out of this. We’re the only people that are going to get us out of it,” Philadelphia head coach Jim Curtin said. “The people in that locker room, the coaches, the players, they recognize that.”
Daniel Gazdag (seven) and Julian Carranza (five) are Philadelphia’s top goal scorers, with Carranza scoring early in the second half against NYCFC to halve a 2-0 deficit. Gazdag was held off the scoresheet on Wednesday for just the fourth time this season.
New England (2-8-1, 7 points) has seen its 2024 season — its first with two-time MLS Cup-winning head coach Caleb Porter in charge — start in disappointment. Chief among the struggles has been scoring: the Revs have just nine goals this season, the lowest attacking output in MLS.
Porter’s team plays six of their next eight at home, and he’s hoping the Revolution can stack points during that run to improve their place in the standings.
“It’s a very important stretch, no doubt, because we’re at home so much and because of where we’re at in the league,” Porter said. “When I look at this chunk of games, it’s important to set up and correct where we’re at.”
The Revs’ dismal attack will look for an upswing against a Union defense that has allowed 21 goals, tied for the seventh-highest total in the league.
Carles Gil scored his team-high fourth goal, and Giacomo Vrioni his second, in New England’s 4-2 loss to the New York Red Bulls on Saturday. Tomas Chancalay (two) and Nacho Gil (one) have accounted for the rest of the Revs’ scoring this season.
–Field Level Media
