The New England Revolution can set a franchise record when they host Toronto FC on Saturday in Foxborough, Mass.
The Revolution (9-3-6, 33 points) are 6-0-3 at home so far this season, one of only three teams yet to be defeated on their own pitch. The nine-game unbeaten run matches the longest to start a season in club history, having previously realized the feat in 2015 and 2005.
They’ve scored at least three goals in each of their past three home tilts but have never done so in four straight in a single season in franchise history.
New England has won two straight after three consecutive draws. The club has tightened up its defensive game of late, conceding two goals in its past three contests after allowing nine goals in its previous three.
“It’s nice to know that if we do our job defensively, and only let them score zero or one goal, that our attackers are talented enough to score one, two, or three and give us a win,” defender Dave Romney said. “… No games in MLS are easy, and we know we’re going to have to take it extremely seriously to get three points.”
Carles Gil, who scored in the Revolution’s 3-1 win against Orlando last week, leads the club with seven goals.
Toronto (3-6-10, 19 points) heads into the matchup still in search of its first road victory of the season. Sitting 14th in the Eastern Conference table, the Reds are 0-5-4 as the visitor in 2023 and have won just four of their 43 road matches since the start of the 2021 season, going 4-28-11 in that stretch.
Despite its talent, the club, which had a four-game unbeaten run (1-0-3) end Wednesday with a 3-0 loss to FC Cincinnati, has struggled to score all season. Its 17 goals are sixth-fewest in MLS.
“We have to put the ball in the back of the net,” Toronto midfielder Mark-Anthony Kaye said. “… We need to be more determined and ruthless in our ability to score goals because possession is great — you get to keep the ball, you don’t maybe run as much, but at the end of the day it’s about goals. We’re not going to win games unless we score goals and that’s a full team effort.”
Italian stars Federico Bernardeschi and Lorenzo Insigne, who share the team lead with three goals apiece, have attempted 85 of the team’s 200 shots thus far (45 for Bernardeschi, 40 for Insigne). Veteran C.J. Sapong comes in third with 16.
–Field Level Media
