MLS Regular Season | Match #33
New England Revolution at Columbus Crew
Saturday, October 12 | 7:30 p.m. ET
Lower.com Field | Columbus, Ohio
Watch: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
English Talent: Keith Costigan (Play-by-Play), Lori Lindsey (Analyst)
Spanish Talent: Sergio Ruiz (Play-by-Play), Walter Roque (Analyst)
Listen: 98.5 The Sports Hub (English), 1260 AM Nossa Radio (Portuguese)
English Talent: Brad Feldman (play-by-play), Charlie Davies (analyst)
CURRENT FORM
New England Revolution
14th in Eastern Conference (9-19-4, 31 pts.)
Last Result | 2-1 loss vs. D.C. United
The New England Revolution’s hunt for the playoffs officially came to an end last weekend with a defeat at home to D.C. United, but there is still plenty to play for with two games to go in the 2024 season. This Saturday’s trip to face the Columbus Crew will pose a stern test of the squad’s character, and head coach Caleb Porter said this week that he was not so much concerned with his return to his old stomping ground as he was with seeing his Revolution players perform like professionals with pride for the badge and the game.
With postseason qualification off the table, the focus does inevitably begin to shift to the 2025 season, and with thoughts of the future come thoughts of the stellar seasons that New England’s young talents Esmir Bajraktarević and Peyton Miller have enjoyed. Both are away on international duty this weekend, a testament to the levels they’ve reached this campaign. First-year Revs Alhassan Yusuf and Xavier Arreaga are also away with their respective national teams, and hopes are high that both will continue to deliver when they return for Decision Day and into next season.
Columbus Crew
2nd in Eastern Conference (17-6-9, 60 pts.)
Last Result | 3-2 win vs. Philadelphia Union
The Columbus Crew have already clinched 2nd place in the Eastern Conference notwithstanding the outcome of their final two games, but any team that has Wilfried Nancy leading them from the sideline should be expected to put up more than just a fight when they take the field, regardless of how the league table shapes up. The Black and Gold will similarly have big names missing due to international duty – Cucho Hernández chief among them – but that’s no reason to think the Crew won’t turn up for this one, with the only loss in their last six matches coming against Supporters’ Shield winners Inter Miami CF, in the contest that secured the Herons top spot in the league.
Columbus has proved to be a historically tough opponent for the Revs, with the Crew owning a 40-24-18 all-time regular season record against New England. However, the Revolution remain undefeated at Lower.com Field since the move from Historic Crew Stadium, holding their own for three draws across the last three seasons.
KEY PLAYERS
Revolution defender Will Sands
With Peyton Miller called up to join the United States U20’s, defender Will Sands has recovered from injury just in time not only to cover for the young left back, but also to face off against his former club. Acquired in July through a trade that saw DeJuan Jones join the Crew, Sands’ Revolution career was getting off to a hot start before a leg injury kept him sidelined for the past month.
Sands’ last appearance, only the third of his Revs career, saw him notch an assist on both of New England’s goals in their 2-2 draw against St. Louis CITY SC and subsequently earn a spot in the Team of the Matchday. Talented on both sides of the ball, the defender certainly wouldn’t turn down another appearance on the scoresheet this weekend if he can help it.
Crew defender DeJuan Jones
Headed the other way in that July trade was defender DeJuan Jones, beloved by Revs fans since being drafted in 2019 but similarly off to a strong start in his Crew career. The left back notched his first goal in Black and Gold a whopping 34 seconds into his club debut, a Leagues Cup match against Sporting Kansas City back in August.
Jones has struggled to match that level in the weeks since, however, largely being used as a late-game substitute and only starting three of his eight appearances for Columbus. But with a start last week against Philadelphia and both squads depleted this weekend by international duty, the Michigan native might just get his chance to face off against his former club when the Revs come to town.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
Revs head coach Caleb Porter on his focus and the team’s goals over the final two matches of 2024:
“Obviously, we don’t make the playoffs this year, so we fall short of our initial goal to get in and to make a run at MLS Cup. For me, it is disappointing. We all own it. Certainly, I own it. It doesn’t change anything for the next two weeks. We are still focused on the process of improving, learning, growing, and developing for the future. We are focused on keeping our standards high. We are going to see, in these last couple of weeks, a crystallization of what we know out of guys. Some guys have had good years, they are going to hopefully confirm that. Some guys have been inconsistent, so they will need to prove that they can be more consistent. Some guys will need to show that they deserve to stay here and be a part of this project moving forward. We kind of know where things are at, but the reality is these last two weeks will maybe tip the balance in some of those decisions. When you don’t succeed in a year like this year, you are having to make tough decisions. So, I expect the guys to fight hard and to give a lot in these last two games, starting with Columbus.”
Porter on these final matches serving as a measuring stick for New England, starting with the Crew:
“Yeah, MLS Cup champ last year, obviously a very good team. For me, Miami and Columbus, they are the two best teams in the league. They are the standard and we want to be at that standard, so we will have an opportunity to show that we are on the right track, that we are closer than maybe it looks, and/or we are going to see that we still need to make a lot of moves. It is not good to be out of the playoffs, but it is great, if you are out of the playoffs, to now set up the offseason with two games against two of the best teams that are in the position we want to be. So, it will show how far we have come, it will show how far we need to go. For me, [how] I look at it, if we want to be the best team in the league, we need a top 10 player in every position, minimum. Top five, hopefully, in a lot of positions. We are going to see out of guys where they shake out. I think we have a very good core. Every signing we make, you can see the quality goes up. We have shown this year that we can do it, but it has just not been consistent enough. There will be changes, so these next two weeks are really important in a lot of ways for the future of our club, to continue to improve, and to continue to just evaluate where we are at.”
Porter on Saturday being his first match in Columbus since managing the Crew:
“I haven’t really thought about it too much. Obviously, I had some good years there. I’m proud of being a part of Campeones Cup and an MLS Cup, put two trophies in the trophy case. Obviously, the club has been excellent since I have left. They have gone to a whole other level. For me, it is about my team now, the Revolution, and improving and building for the future. I am still more convinced than ever that we are going to get to where we need to get. The vision doesn’t change. It is not a vision you set for one year, it is a long-term vision. Sometimes, it takes two or three years. In Portland, it took three years to win an MLS Cup. In Columbus, it took two. So, you never know the path it is going to take and you never know how that is going to go. It just depends, but I am never more convinced that we are going to get there. Even though we are out of the playoffs, these next two weeks, nothing changes. We are going to keep working, keep building, keep growing, keep fighting, and I expect the players to keep playing to a high standard and to keep showing they want to be a part of the future of this club, to be a part of the project, and that they are on board, they are on the bus, and excited for the future.”
Porter on the impact of the international window on both teams this Saturday:
“It is what it is, right? You look at the other side, they’ve got guys out, we’ve got guys out. So, you look at who they’ll have in and who we’ll have in, and ultimately, it’s normal. Sometimes you have injuries, sometimes you have guys out for international duty. But I think it kind of washes each other out, really, in a lot of ways, because we have key guys out, they have key guys out. We have depth, good depth, they have good depth. So ultimately, I think what it changes is obviously key players. Cucho [Hernández], of course, being out means they don’t have a really key match winner for them. He is a guy that can just pull off a play out of nothing. Obviously, we have got some key players out too. You look at those things, ultimately the way they play isn’t going to change a ton. The way we need to play might change a little more, just because of the quality that Columbus has, the fact that we’re obviously going on the road [to Lower.com Field], where they’ve been really good – a tough place to play.”
Revs midfielder Matt Polster on the team’s approach to the last two games of the year:
“It’s not meaningless games, but obviously, there’s no playoffs in the end and that’s the most important thing. That’s what you want. That’s what every team strives for and then from there, you figure it out. But for us, these next two games are still very important games. Something to play for – it’s our own pride, playing for the staff, playing for the front office, The Kraft Group, the organization as a whole, and our families. So, we are still going to go out there with the right mindset, still show what we’re capable of doing against very good opposition. So, we’ll see where we’re at, at the end of the year.”
Polster on the squad’s level in training after being eliminated from playoff contention:
“Still very intense. Again, like I said, the mentality and the motivation is to go on the road and still win these games. We haven’t had the season we wanted. I know that fans haven’t had the season they wanted. So, it’s for us to go out there and show that we are still fighting for them, we are still fighting for our own teammates, for our families. It’s the same message that it’s been all year. It just hasn’t gone our way, but you’ll see the same fight that we’ve shown in every single game so far.”
Revs defender Will Sands on facing his former club at Lower.com Field:
“Yeah, it is the team that gave me my first chance and a lot of my best friends are on that team. It’s funny, you always want to play your best against your friends, so I am excited for this game.”
Sands on the Revolution’s mentality going into Saturday’s match:
“I don’t think it is any different. I think we approach the game, every game, the same way. I think the world of Columbus and I think they are going to bring their best. They are always a fun team to play because they have so much going on, but yeah, I think it is going to be a good matchup and I am excited to see where it goes.”
