FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – New England Revolution II (10-9-4, 31 pts.) will look to build on its three-game winning streak with a key match on Friday at Toronto FC II (7-9-8, 29 pts.). The match kicks off at 4:00 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
Revolution II claimed a third consecutive victory on Friday night, defeating Forward Madison FC for the second time this season, 1-0. First-team forward Edward Kizza made his eighth start of the season for Revolution II, scoring in a fourth straight appearance at the USL League One level. On defense, center back Collin Verfurth earned a selection to the League One Team of the Week after recording eight clearances and winning all seven of his duels. Goalkeeper Joe Rice chipped in with four saves for his seventh clean sheet of the season and the 10th of his Revolution II career.
Revolution II has moved into fourth place in the USL League One standings following last week’s results. In a tight race for the postseason, which will feature the league’s top-six teams, just six points separate third through 10th place in the table. New England will play four of its remaining five contests on the road, including back-to-back games at playoff contenders Greenville Triumph SC (Oct. 16) and North Texas SC (Oct. 23).
New England and Toronto have met twice already this season, both coming at Gillette Stadium in July. New England earned 1-0 victories in both contests. Damian Rivera scored the game-winning goal in the first meeting, finishing off Noel Buck’s first professional assist. Ryan Spaulding added the winner in the second matchup, with his shot deflecting off a Toronto defender for the lone tally of the night.
Toronto FC II is coming off a 3-0 victory over North Carolina FC last Friday afternoon, snapping a six-game winless skid. Jon-Talen Maples, Luca Petrasso, and Paul Rothrock all tallied within an eight-minute span during the second half to fire the Reds past visiting North Carolina. Toronto outshot North Carolina 21-7, including an 11-0 edge in shots on frame.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Here are a few top storylines to watch on Friday:
- New England extending its three-game winning streak and its shutout streak, which sits at 268 minutes dating back to Sept. 17.
- Revolution II maintaining perfect against fellow MLS second teams. In 2021, New England is 5-0-0 against other MLS affiliates in USL League One play, outscoring opponents 7-0 in those matches.
- Goalkeeper Joe Rice making his 25th appearance with Revolution II and building on his team record for most games played in goal. Rice is 8-3-4 this season with a 0.87 goals against average and seven clean sheets.
- Midfielder Noel Buck adding to his five goals, second most on the team, as he prepares to make his 23rd 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.
- Midfielder Hikaru Fujiwara potentially making his 30th career appearance with Revolution II. The Revolution Academy graduate has appeared in 19 matches this season, recording three assists.
Match #24: Revolution II vs. Toronto FC II
Date: Friday, October 8, 2021
Kickoff: 4:00 p.m. ET
Location: BMO Training Ground (Toronto, Ontario)
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Streaming: ESPN+ (National) / YouTube (International)
Talent: Joe Malfa (play-by-play)
Social: @NERevolution2, #NERevsII, #TORvNE
