FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – New England Revolution II (11-12-4, 37 pts.) will continue its push to qualify for the USL League One playoffs on Saturday night when the squad hits the road for the final regular season match at Toronto FC II (9-10-8, 35 pts.). The match kicks off at 3:00 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
With one game left to play, Revolution II sits in sixth place in the USL League One standings, just above the playoff line in a crowded race for the postseason. The top six teams will qualify for the single-elimination playoffs, with five teams still in contention for three available spots. New England can lock up a playoff berth with a victory at Toronto FC II on Friday (3:00 p.m.) and could finish as high as fourth, which would give Revolution II a home playoff match to start the campaign.
New England suffered a second consecutive road setback last Saturday night, falling 4-1 at North Texas SC. After taking a 1-0 lead in the fourth minute through Justin Rennicks, New England conceded six minutes later to level the match. Despite the hosts being reduced to 10 men midway through the first half and New England earning a penalty early in the second half, Revolution II squandered their chances, missing the penalty before North Texas pulled ahead in the 56th minute.
Friday afternoon’s tilt will mark the fourth and final meeting of the regular season between Toronto and New England. Revolution II won the first two meetings, both by a 1-0 margin, at Gillette Stadium in July before Toronto earned a 1-0 victory of their own at BMO Training Ground back on Oct. 8. Damian Rivera and Ryan Spaulding tallied game-winning goals for New England in their victories over the summer.
Toronto would need a victory and help from other league results to remain in playoff contention. TFC II saw its three-match winning streak snapped last Friday afternoon when Fort Lauderdale CF handed them their first loss at BMO Training Ground this season, 2-1. Kobe Franklin fired Toronto in front in the 22nd minute, but a pair of goals from former TFC II forward Shaan Hundal gave the visitors all three points from their final match of the season.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Here are a few top storylines to watch on Friday:
- Revolution II closing the regular season with a chance to clinch a berth in the USL League One Playoffs.
- Midfielder Noel Buck adding to his five goals, second most on the team, as he prepares to make his 28th appearance of the season. The 16-year-old, along with defender Ryan Spaulding, is one of two players to have appeared in every match this season.
- Forward Justin Rennicks making his 35th appearance for Revolution II. The Homegrown Player is also looking to become the first player in team history to tally 10 goals at the USL League One level. He has already reached a new career high with five goals this season.
- Forward Damian Rivera registering two shots on target to reach 30 for his career. The 18-year-old Academy product leads the team this season with 63 shots, including 21 on frame.
- Defender Colby Quiñones potentially playing eight minutes to reach 1,000 for the second consecutive season. The Revolution Academy graduate has appeared in 34 matches for Revs II since the team began play in 2020.
- Goalkeeper Joe Rice building on his career high for appearances by making his 20th start of the season. In 28 matches for Revolution II, Rice is 12-10-6 with a 1.12 goals against average since signing with the club in March 2020.
Match #28: Revolution II vs. Toronto FC II
Date: Saturday, October 29, 2021
Kickoff: 3:00 p.m. ET
Location: BMO Training Ground (Toronto, Ontario)
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Streaming: ESPN+ (National) / YouTube (International)
Talent: Josh Eastern (play-by-play)
Social: @NERevolution2, #NERevsII, #TORvNE
