D.C. United travel to Foxborough this Saturday, June 30, to take on the New England Revolution at 7 PM ET in Week 18 of the MLS season. The Revolution are on a five-game unbeaten streak in MLS play, a streak that has the team sitting in fifth place in the Eastern Conference with 24 points. United hold the edge in the head-to-head series with a 33-26-12 record, and have gone unbeaten in their last eight MLS matches (including the playoffs) against the Revs with a 5-0-3 record.
Both clubs are coming off draws in their last league meetings and lengthy breaks from MLS action due to the FIFA World Cup. The Revs drew the San Jose Earthquakes 2-2 thanks to goals from Diego Fagundez and Cristian Penilla, while United picked up another point on the road after a thrilling 4-4 draw in Toronto. Yamil Asad notched a brace for the visitors, with Darren Mattocks and Paul Arriola also pitching in a goal each—Arriola's efforts earned him MLS Goal of the Week.
The Eastern Conference foes' last meeting at Gillette Stadium also finished in a draw. Jared Jeffrey and the now-retired Sebastian Le Toux each scored for United, but New England kept pace, and the teams split points back in April 2017. The Black-and-Red stole all three points in the summer rematch, though, as United picked up a 1-0 win for their third-consecutive 1-0 victory.
While the Black-and-Red continue to muscle through their extended road trip, United are just two road games away from the unveiling of their new stadium, Audi Field. The excitement surrounding the inaugural match paired with the recent signing of international icon Wayne Rooney has the team and the city buzzing with energy heading into these final two road games (at New England and at the LA Galaxy), and United hope the surge in energy will help them return to the District for their homecoming with additional points in hand.
The Black-and-Red's greatest strength so far has been their offensive prowess, which has been on display all season and has shown no signs of slowing down. Forward Darren Mattocks has already matched his season-high for goals just 12 games into the year, with seven finishes to lead the way for United. Luciano Acosta, Yamil Asad, and Paul Arriola have also shown flashes of their ability to form a frightening midfield for opponents. The triple-A trio have combined for eight goals, 13 assists, and 41 chances created, and have given D.C. a spark on the attack.
One thing the Revolution do exceptionally well? Share the ball. The Revs are tied for fourth in MLS with 19 team assists, and midfielders Diego Fagundez and Cristian Penilla lead New England in helpers with five each. The performances of Fagundez and Penilla have often proved key to final results for the Revs, but New England also boast one of the top goal scorers in the league: Teal Bunbury. Bunbury currently has the fifth-most goals in the league with nine, and could be a thorn in the side of United's backline should the Black-and-Red not remained disciplined in the marking of the striker for all 90 minutes.
Tune in on Saturday to cheer on the Black-and-Red as they look to capture three crucial points against the New England Revolution before heading west to face the Galaxy. Pregame coverage starts at 7 PM ET on NewsChannel 8 and CW Richmond.
