WASHINGTON, D.C. – The New England Revolution (21-4-6; 69 pts.) defeated D.C. United (12-13-5; 41 pts.), 3-2, on Wednesday night at Audi Field. All three Designated Players scored for the Revolution, as Adam Buksa and Carles Gil erased a one-goal deficit with tallies in the 61st and 64th minutes, respectively. Gustavo Bou, who provided the assist on Gil’s goal, added to New England’s lead in the 79th minute. Ramon Abila closed the scoring with a goal for the hosts in stoppage time.

New England’s away record improves to 10-3-3, as the Revolution become the sixth team in MLS history – and the third coached by Bruce Arena – to record 10 road victories in a season. The Revolution’s 33 away points this season are second most in league annals. The club’s 69 points are tied for third most in any MLS campaign, and the Revs’ 21 wins are one shy of the record for regulation victors in a season. Three more points over the final three games would tie the all-time MLS mark of 72 set by LAFC in 2019, while four points would see the Revolution set a new single-season points record.

Tonight’s victory extends the Revolution’s unbeaten streak to 6-0-2, including four consecutive road victories. The Revs, winners of eight of their last nine games away from home, have now won six consecutive games against D.C. United for the first time in the series, as the unbeaten streak against D.C. improves to nine games (6-0-3).

The three-goal outburst in the second half saw all three of the Revs’ Designated Players score in the same match for the first time. With Buksa and Bou both scoring, the race for the MLS Golden Boot race – and the MLS scoring lead – continues to be tight entering the final three games. Bou now owns 15 goals on the season, placing him fourth in the MLS Golden Boot standings. The Argentinian strike has reached the scoresheet in five consecutive games with three goals and five assists. Buksa’s 14th goal of the season, a header from the center of the box, giving the forward six goals and one assist in his last eight games played. The Polish striker led the attack with a game-high five shots, set a new Revolution record for shots in a season. Meanwhile, Gil’s go-ahead tally, a left-footed strike, gives the Spaniard four goals scored on the season.

Tommy McNamara provided helpers on goals from Buksa and Bou to collect his first two-assist performance since 2016. The Revolution’s four assists on the night raise the club’s total to 65 on the season, one away from matching the club’s all-time record (66).

Sporting Director and Head Coach Bruce Arena is now one win away from matching Sigi Schmid (240) for the most regular season victories in league history. Arena’s record with New England improves to 37-14-22.

In net, Matt Turner made seven saves to notch his 16th win of the season, doubling his previous career high of eight. Turner’s 16 wins are tied for the most by a Revolution goalkeeper in a single season.

New England is back on the road on Sunday night to face another playoff contender in Orlando City SC. The Revs’ final away match of the season kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET and will be televised nationally on FS1 and Fox Deportes. The game also airs locally on the radio on 98.5 The Sports Hub HD2 and 1260 AM Nossa Radio.

POSTGAME NOTES
New England Revolution 3, D.C. United 2
October 20, 2021 – Audi Field (Washington, D.C.)

Team Notes:

• The New England Revolution defeated D.C. United on Wednesday at Audi Field, 3-2, improving their record to 21-4-6 (69 points) on the season.
• The Revs’ 69 points are tied for the third most in MLS history – three behind LAFC’s record of 72 (2019).
• The Revolution maintain a 20-point lead in the Eastern Conference and grow their lead to 11 points in the Supporters’ Shield standings over Seattle Sounders FC.
• New England becomes the fifth team in MLS history to win 21 games in regulation (adjusted for shootouts from 1996-99). One more win would tie the MLS record for regulation wins.
• The Revolution are the sixth MLS team to win 10 road games in a season, and just the third to win 10 away games in regulation (adjusted for shootouts – Atlanta 2018 and LA Galaxy 1998). Two of the previous five teams were also coached by Bruce Arena (DC – 1997, 1998).
• New England’s 33 away points stand alone as the 2nd most all-time behind the 1998 LA Galaxy (37 pts).
• New England’s unbeaten streak is now at eight games (6-0-2). The Revs have won four straight on the road and are victorious in eight of their last nine away games.
• The Revolution are 6-0-3 over the last nine encounters vs. D.C. United. New England has won six straight games against the Black & Red for the first time ever.
• New England has won four straight away contests for the second time this season and for only the third time in club history (2008).
• The Revs’ 62 goals and 31 first-half tallies both lead the league. New England’s 62 goals are a club record.
• With only four losses on the season, the Revolution are guaranteed to at least tie the club mark for fewest losses in a season (7 – 2005).

Individual Notes:

• Bruce Arena improved his career record to 239-135-111, one shy of Sigi Schmid’s all-time MLS record of 240 regular season victories. Arena’s record with New England also climbed to 37-14-22 (.655).
• Arena’s record against D.C. United, his former club, improves to 13-4-8.
• Matt Turner recorded seven saves to win his 16th game of the season, tying the Revs' single-season mark for a goalkeeper (Matt Reis - 2005; Bobby Shuttleworth - 2014). The victory was also his 40th in MLS and improves his all-time record against D.C. to 7-1-2.
• Gustavo Bou made his 50th MLS start on Wednesday night, finding the scoresheet for a fifth consecutive games with a goal and an assist. Bou has a team-high six game-winning goals on the season. Bou continues to lead MLS in combined goals and assists (42) since he entered the league on July 17, 2019.
• Bou’s 29 goals for New England are now tied for 10th-most in club history.
• Carles Gil made his 60th MLS start for New England, scoring his fourth goal of the season. Gil added a team-high four chances created, moving him to 117 on the season, just seven shy of Diego Valeri’s league record of 124 chances created in a single season (data since 2011 – per Opta).
• Adam Buksa recorded five shots on the night, surpassing century mark on the season and setting a new Revolution single-season high of 102 (Wolde Harris – 101 in 2000).
• Wednesday’s victory marked the first time all three of New England’s Designated Players – Bou, Buksa, and Gil – scored in the same match.
• Tommy McNamara recorded two assists, the second multi-assist game of his career and first since July 7, 2016. McNamara completed a team-high 49 of his 57 passes (86 percent), including three key passes.
• Matt Polster made his 125th MLS appearance in Wednesday’s match. Polster was cautioned in the first half, meaning he will miss New England’s next match on Sunday due to yellow card accumulation.
• Tajon Buchanan played 81 minutes, surpassing 3,000 minutes played for his MLS career. Buchanan marked the occasion by winning a team-high 11 duels.
• Brandon Bye played 90 minutes, eclipsing 8,000 minutes played in MLS.
• Andrew Farrell recorded team highs in recoveries (13) and clearances (5) as well as one key pass in the attack.
• Henry Kessler had team highs in interceptions (3) and tackles (3), also pitching in with four clearances and 12 recoveries.
• Luis Caicedo played in his third match since returning from injury, putting in a 45-minute shift, completing 90 percent of his passes, and adding three tackles.

GAME CAPSULE

Referee: Nima Saghafi.
Assistant Referees: Matthew Nelson (AR1); Oscar Mitchell-Carvalho (AR2).
Fourth Official: Thomas Snyder.
Video Assistant Referee: Geoff Gamble.
Attendance: 13,387
Weather: 66 degrees and clear

Scoring Summary:
DC – Nigel Robertha 4 (Unassisted) 51’
NE – Adam Buksa 14 (Tommy McNamara 5) 61’
NE – Carles Gil 4 (Gustavo Bou 8) 64’
NE – Gustavo Bou 15 (Adam Buksa 3, Tommy McNamara 6) 80’
DC – Ramón Ábila 3 (Kevin Paredes 1) 90’+3

Misconduct Summary:
DC – Felipe (Yellow Card – Bad Foul) 17’
NE – Matt Polster (Yellow Card – Bad Foul) 42’

New England Revolution: Matt Turner; DeJuan Jones, Henry Kessler, Andrew Farrell, Brandon Bye; Matt Polster (Luis Caicedo 45’), Tajon Buchanan (Arnór Traustason 81’), Tommy McNamara (Scott Caldwell 89’), Carles Gil © (Emmanuel Boateng 86’); Adam Buksa, Gustavo Bou (Teal Bunbury 86’).

Substitutes Not Used: Brad Knighton, Jon Bell, A.J. DeLaGarza.

D.C. United: Bill Hamid; Chris Odoi-Atsem (Tony Alfaro 81’), Steve Birnbaum ©, Donovan Pines; Julian Gressel, Russell Canouse (Júnior Moreno 73’), Felipe, Drew Skundrich (Adrien Pérez 68’), Joseph Mora; (Kevin Paredes 68’) Ola Kamara (Ramón Ábila 81’), Nigel Robertha.

Substitutes Not Used: Jon Kempin, Frédéric Brillant, Griffin Yow, Yamil Asad.

Full statistics available HERE.