In a matchup of two of the last three MLS Supporters' Shield winners, the New England Revolution will host FC Cincinnati at Gillette Stadium on Sunday.
The Revs are 0-3 in the 2024 regular season, losing 4-1 to Atlanta United last Saturday, while Cincy played to a 0-0 draw with DC United.
Match preview
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The Caleb Porter era in New England has begun about as poorly as anyone at the club could have imagined, with this team losing two of their three MLS outing by multiple goals.
Porter has tried to implement a more positional approach to their game which has not worked so far, as the Greater Boston side have conceded a joint league-high eight goals in this competition thus far.
In just three domestic affairs this year, they have already matched their longest losing run in MLS from a season ago (three), while the Revolution are off to their worst start to a domestic campaign since losing their first six games to begin 2001.
Their schedule to begin the domestic campaign is fairly demanding, given they are competing in the CONCACAF Champions Cup (CCC) at the moment, and having just a few days to rest in between games seems to have hurt them in this competition.
Dating back to the previous MLS campaign, the Revs are winless in 14 successive domestic contests away from home, losing their last three league fixtures as the visitors and conceding three or more goals in each of those defeats.
The 2021 Supporters' Shield winners are unbeaten in their last eight regular-season fixtures against FC Cincinnati, earning at least a point in four successive home fixtures.
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Cincinnati have not exactly been flying out of the gate so far, but the reigning Supporters' Shield winners are unbeaten after their opening three MLS fixtures for just the second time in club history.
So far in 2024, the Orange and Blue are winless at home in this competition but are unbeaten in their last six MLS affairs away from TQL Stadium dating back to last season, defeating the Chicago Fire earlier this month, 2-1.
Pat Noonan's men have collected at least a point in 26 of their previous 28 MLS matches decided by a goal or fewer, including all three played so far this season.
Since Noonan took charge of this team ahead of the 2021 campaign, the Orange and Blue have only lost two of their last 10 MLS fixtures played in March, collecting at least a point in each of their last six such contests.
While their home and away form has been strong since the beginning of the 2023 campaign, Cincy have not been as sharp defensively on the road, conceding at least once in 12 of their last 13 regular season affairs outside TQL Stadium.
Noonan has never lost to the Revs since becoming the head coach of Cincinnati but has also never beaten them, with his side having to come back twice to earn a point.
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Team News
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Bobby Wood will be a question mark for New England this weekend with a sore knee, while Peyton Miller is expected to miss another encounter due to a foot injury.
The Revs could also be without Brandon Bye and Dylan Borrero this weekend, as they are dealing with right and left knee injuries, respectively.
Carles Gil, who recently signed an extension with the club until 2026 with an option for 2027, had their only goal versus Atlanta, Esmir Bajraktarevic reached the scoresheet for the third time in his last four games and Tomas Chancalay led the team with seven shot attempts, one of which struck the woodwork.
Alec Kann is unlikely to be available for Cincinnati this weekend as the reserve goalkeeper is still recovering from a hand injury.
Noonan made three changes to his starting 11 from matchday two to three of the MLS campaign, bringing in Kipp Keller, Luca Orellano and Sergio Santos to replace Ian Murphy, Yuya Kubo and Aaron Boupendza.
Roman Celentano collected his second clean sheet of the MLS campaign last week, stopping four DC efforts, while Luciano Acosta scored their only goal in their Champions Cup defeat versus Monterrey (2-1) and former striker Brandon Vazquez notched the winner in both legs, helping the Mexicans advance 3-1 on aggregate.
New England Revolution possible starting lineup:
Ravas; Spaulding, Kessler, Romney, Jones; Boateng, Polster, Kaye; C. Gil; Vrioni, Chancalay
FC Cincinnati possible starting lineup:
Celentano; Robinson, Miazga, Murphy; Yedlin, Nwobodo, Bucha, Kubo; Acosta; Baird, Boupendza
We say: New England Revolution 1-3 FC Cincinnati
It seems to be taking the Revs longer than expected to adjust to the Caleb Porter way of playing, and they could still be figuring things out on Sunday.
Defensively in 2024, Cincinnati have been a lot more compact and organised, and we believe a player with the vision and creativity of Acosta will find a way to expose a leaky Revs backline.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
