Revolution II Preview: 8/27 @ Philadelphia Union II
Revs II look to remain towards the top of the East after clinching a spot in the 2023 MLS NEXT Pro playoffs in their last outing!
New England Revolution II returns to action Sunday night following a historical outing north of the border last week. Catch up on everything you need to know ahead of Sunday’s match.
Opponent: Philadelphia Union II
Time: 6:30 PM ET
Venue: Subaru Park, Chester, Pennsylvania
Broadcast: MLSNEXTPro.com
Projected Weather: Temperatures will sit in the high 70s throughout the match, with wind gusts hovering at eight miles per hour.Â
New England Revolution II:
Revolution II enters Sunday’s contest after making club history in their previous outing against Toronto FC II! Their scoreless draw in regulation and 4-1 shootout win clinched Revs II their first-ever spot in the playoffs! A feat the club came short of accomplishing over their two USL League One and 2022 MLS NEXT Pro campaigns.
While they punched their ticket to the playoffs, they must stay committed as Crew 2 and NYRB II find themselves nipping at Revs II’s heels as we enter the final stretch. Revs II holds second in the East with 48 points on a 12-5-7 record with five shootout victories. Crew 2 finds themselves in third with 45 points, while NYRB II sits in fourth with 44 points. A win for the Revs II alleviates the pressure as they hope Orlando City B and Fire II can take points away from Columbus and New York, respectively.
Philadelphia Union II:
Philadelphia comes into Sunday’s match on the outside looking in. A disappointing 5-2 loss to Huntsville saw Philadelphia slip down to eighth place in the East. Marlon LeBlanc and Union II will be looking to claw their way back into the playoff picture, as all three points would see them leapfrog Huntsville to sit in the seventh and final playoff slot.
Union II will be without midfielder Maike Villero for Sunday as he received a red card booking in May 21st’s meeting.
Like Revolution II, Philly’s success comes from having numerous players who can score. 15 players have found the back of the net for Union II, with Stefen Stojanovic leading the team’s Golden Boot race with eight goals.
Jeremy Rafanello sits right behind Stojanovic with seven goals. One of the biggest threats to Revs II comes from Christopher Olney. While Olney is tied for fourth in the Golden Boot race with four, he leads Union II in assists with seven.
Luckily for Revs II, they haven’t had too many troubles on the road, as they hold a 5-4-3 record away from Gillette. The same can’t be said for Philadelphia inside Subaru Park, as they hold a 4-6-1 record at home.
Previous Meetings:
Sunday marks the sixth match between New England and Philadelphia. Revs II holds a slight advantage as they have a 3-2-0 record against Union II.
Their first-ever meeting came on May 27th, 2022, as a lone goal from Meny Silva gave Revs II a 1-0 victory. Philadelphia got their revenge on August 21st, 2022, as they secured a dominant 5-1 victory. Colby Quiñones’ goal prevented a shutout for Revs II.
Union II secured their second straight win on September 18th, 2022, as they picked up a 3-1 victory. Ryan Lima’s goal prevented the shutout for Revs II. Revs II got back into the win column on April 10th, 2023, as goals from Damian Rivera, Jordan Adebayo-Smith, Esmir Bajraktarević, Malcolm Fry, and Brandonn Bueno gave Revs II a commanding 5-1 victory.
The most recent matchup came on May 21st, 2023, as a hat trick from Esmir Bajraktarević and an additional goal from Marcos Dias gave Revs II a 4-3 victory.