MLS Regular Season | Match #10
New England Revolution vs. FC Cincinnati
Saturday, April 29 | 7:30 p.m. ET
Gillette Stadium | Foxborough, Mass.
Watch: _MLS Season Pass_ on Apple TV
- English Talent: Callum Williams (play-by-play), Calen Carr (analyst)
- Spanish Talent: Diego Pessolano (play-by-play), Luis Gerardo Bucci (analyst)
Listen: 98.5 The Sports Hub (English), SiriusXM FC Channel 157 (English), 1260 AM Nossa Radio (Portuguese)
- English Talent: Brad Feldman (play-by-play), Charlie Davies (analyst)
o Call also available to sync on MLS Season Pass
Click here for a guide on how to sync the home call with Brad Feldman and Charlie Davies on MLS Season Pass
CURRENT FORM
New England Revolution
1st in Eastern Conference (6-1-2, 20 pts.)
Last Result (MLS) | 2-1 win vs. Sporting Kansas City
Last Result (Open Cup) | 2-1 win vs. Hartford Athletic
The high-flying Revs enter the weekend atop the Supporters’ Shield standings and unbeaten in six (4-0-2), fresh off a 2-1 win over Sporting Kansas City powered by Giacomo Vrioni’s first MLS brace. Attention briefly turned to the U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday night, when New England used a young group to power past USL Championship side Hartford Athletic, advancing to the competition’s Round of 32 with another 2-1 victory.
Now 4-0-1 at home in league play and 5-0-1 in all competitions, the Revs will close out a home-heavy month of April against FC Cincinnati before playing five of their next six league games on the road through May and early June.
FC Cincinnati
2nd in Eastern Conference (6-1-2, 20 pts.)
Last Result (MLS) | 2-1 win vs. Portland Timbers
Last Result (Open Cup) | 1-0 win vs. Louisville City FC
FC Cincinnati and the Revs not only have identical records (6-1-2, 20 pts.), they’ve also taken similar paths through the early part of the season. Pat Noonan’s side has been perfect at home (5-0-0) and solid on the road (1-1-2), largely relying on a stingy defense en route to four 1-0 victories. While the Revs’ only loss was a heavy 4-0 defeat at LAFC, FCC’s only setback was a 5-1 loss at St. Louis City SC.
Both sides are also through to the Open Cup Round of 32, as FC Cincinnati advanced past Louisville City FC (USL Championship) with a dramatic, 1-0 win on Wednesday night at TQL Stadium. Arquímides Ordóñez provided the game winner in the 85th minute as FCC also utilized a rotated lineup for the midweek match.
KEY PLAYERS
Revolution midfielder Dylan Borrero
Suspended for last weekend’s win over Sporting KC, Dylan Borrero started and saw 86 minutes of action in Tuesday night’s Open Cup triumph over Hartford Athletic, recording four shots in an active performance. The 21-year-old winger will once again be eligible for selection on Saturday night when FC Cincinnati come to town, and he could play a key role against an FCC team that has kept five clean sheets through nine games.
Borrero has a limited history against Cincinnati, but he did make his MLS debut at TQL Stadium last May, and later scored a goal against FCC in a 2-2 draw at Gillette Stadium in early July.
Cincinnati forward Brandon Vazquez
It would be an understatement to call 2022 a breakout year for Brandon Vazquez, who tallied 18 goals and eight assists in 33 appearances, far eclipsing the nine goals and seven assists he’d registered through the first five years of his professional career combined. Those performances have earned the 24-year-old forward an opportunity with the U.S. Men’s National Team, having scored one goal in three international appearances.
Vazquez has once again been a key contributor for FC Cincinnati this season, one of five players to have started each of their first nine games. He’s registered two goals and one assist, including the game winner in last weekend’s 2-1 victory over the Portland Timbers.
STATUS REPORT
Revolution
The Revs were without a whopping 11 players for last weekend’s 2-1 win over Sporting KC, including nine because of injury. The good news is that only five are listed on this week’s availability report: Nacho Gil (right leg), Jacob Jackson (left ACL), Henry Kessler (right hamstring), Maciel (left Achilles), and Tommy McNamara (left leg), all listed as out.
“We'll finalize everything (on Friday), but we're getting healthier,” sporting director and head coach Bruce Arena said on Thursday. “I think you see in the early going around the league that everyone has different issues with injuries and suspensions and that's all part of it. I think our team has done well to adjust to it and hopefully we can have a more complete team on Saturday against Cincinnati.”
Dylan Borrero is one of those players returning, as he’s eligible for selection after serving a one-game suspension last weekend. The 21-year-old winger played 86 minutes midweek in the Open Cup triumph over Hartford Athletic.
Cincinnati
The visitors will travel to Foxborough largely healthy, with only defender Santiago Arias (thigh) listed as out for this weekend’s game.
Brenner, who bagged 18 goals last season and just this week secured a summer transfer to Serie A side Udinese, was scheduled to return to Ohio on Thursday night and will be available for selection this weekend at Gillette Stadium, according to head coach Pat Noonan.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
New England Revolution sporting director and head coach Bruce Arena
“You always have to think forward and you have to think where you need to be as you get toward the end of the season, so that's what we’re building on. We're not anywhere near where we have to be, but to date we've done well.”
New England Revolution midfielder Carles Gil
“We know that if we win, then we will be alone on the top, and that’s what we want. I think we know the way if we want to be the best team, and this way is obviously a way to make a good game. But at home, we are strong and win all the games. So, here with our fans at Gillette Stadium, we need to be the strong team that we are and on Saturday try to show that and win the game.”
