FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (September 30, 2023) – New England Revolution II (14-6-8; 56 pts.; 2nd in East) welcomes Philadelphia Union II (12-12-4; 42 pts.; 7th in East) to Gillette Stadium for the quarterfinal round of the 2023 MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs on Sunday night. The match kicks off at 8:00 p.m. ET with Sean Saint Jacques and Christopher Nolan calling the action on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
Finishing in second place in the Eastern Conference, New England embarks on its first-ever postseason run after choosing to host seventh-place Union II under the league’s new “pick-your-opponent” playoff format. In 2023, the highest-seeded teams in MLS NEXT Pro will select their opponents ahead of the conference quarterfinal and semifinal rounds of the playoffs. Revolution II own a perfect 3-0-0 record against Philadelphia this season and enter Sunday’s match as one of the best home teams in the league. New England has logged results in 13 of 14 games played in Foxborough this season, compiling an 8-1-5 record, while outscoring opponents by a 33-15 margin at home.
“I love playing in Gillette,” midfielder Jake Rozhansky said. “I think all the other guys do, as well. It's a bigger field compared to other pitches, and we just feel comfortable here, and we don't like to lose at home, and I think we had a good record here, so it really helps us.”
After a 3-3-1 start to the season, Revolution II found their form in the summer and ended 2023 on a club record 12-game unbeaten streak before falling to Crown Legacy FC in their final regular season game. Forward Jordan Adebayo-Smith tallied a team-record 12 goals, in addition to five assists. The 2023 campaign saw New England shatter previous team records in several categories with 14 wins, 57 goals scored, and 155 shots on target through 28 matches.
“I think the team is really confident going into the playoffs,” defender Pierre Cayet said. “No matter what team you're playing against, you’ve got to be able to win because at the end of the day, that's what makes a winning team. And if you want to win the championship at the end, you’ve got to be able to win against each team and even the best, like Crown Legacy. So, I think the team is confident and we're really looking forward to that first game.”
General admission tickets for Sunday’s match are on sale now. For the 2023 season, Season Members received three (3) complimentary Revs II “flex tickets” for each season seat on their account. To allocate these Revolution II flex tickets to specific home playoff games at Gillette Stadium, Season Members can log into Account Manager. Season Members can also purchase additional discounted Revs II home playoff individual game tickets for $7 each at the Season Member rate via Account Managerand clicking the “Buy Revs II Tickets” button in the header.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR AGAINST PHILADELPHIA UNION II:
- New England earning its first-ever postseason victory and improving upon its 8-1-5 record at Gillette Stadium in 2023.
- Forward Jordan Adebayo-Smith looking to add to his team-leading 12 goals this season, a Revolution II single-season record.
- Defenders Victor Souza and Pierre Cayet continuing to lead New England’s backline after leading the team with over 2,400 minutes played each.
- First team midfielder Maciel making his second appearance since returning from his season-ending Achilles injury last year.
- Goalkeepers Max Weinstein, Nico Campuzano, and Jacob Jackson improving upon their collective 1.47 goals against average in 2023.
- Midfielder Jake Rozhansky adding to his five assists this season. Revolution II’s captain sits tied with Adebayo-Smith for the team-lead in assists this year.
