Pablo Moreira and New England Revolution II return to action on Wednesday as the club looks to shake off an uncharacteristic result in their last outing. Catch up on everything you need to know ahead of Sunday’s contest.
Opponent: Columbus Crew 2
Date: Wednesday, July 15th
Time: 7:00 PM ET
Venue: Beirne Stadium, Smithfield, Rhode Island
Broadcast: OneFootball TV & MLS YouTube Channel
Weather: Sunday will be scorching, with temperatures reaching 84° and remaining in the high 70s throughout the evening. On top of heat, air quality could be a factor as smoke from Canadian wildfires lingers.
New England Revolution II:
Pablo Moreira and Revs II return to action following a disappointing outing last Sunday, which saw Philadelphia Union II visit Beirne Stadium and net four unanswered goals to return home with all three points.
The first-year head coach will look for a bit more discipline from his side after feeling his side lacked it at times last Sunday, which factored in the lopsided defeat.
Despite the tough outing last time out, 2026 has gone well for the club as they come into Wednesday’s contest in sixth place with 31 points on an 8-4-4 record with three shootout victories.
Defense has been key for Revolution II in 2026 as they rank third in fewest goals conceded per match (1.1), and tie for second in fewest set-piece goals conceded (3), eighth in tackles per match (18.9), and 14th in interceptions per match (9.4).
Ball distribution has also been key as the club ranks sixth in accurate long balls per match (29), eighth in touches in the opposing box (457), tied for 17th in accurate passes per match (357.8), and leads the league in accurate crosses per match (6.1).
One area of improvement for Revs II is their attack. Despite taking 236 shots on the year, they have 90 shots on target and 21 goals, which ties for the fifth-fewest in MLS NEXT Pro.
Wednesday will mark a homecoming for forward Jayden Da, who began his professional career in the Columbus Crew organization. Following a collegiate career at Duquesne, Da was selected with the 29th overall pick in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft and signed a contract with Crew 2 on February 29th, 2024. Da went on to tally nine goals and five assists in 27 appearances in 2024.
We could also see the return of defender Schinieder Mimy. The first-year pro has missed the last six matches with an unknown injury.
One name we likely won’t see is defender Jared Smith. After clocking a full 90 minutes against Union II, it appears Smith has suffered an undisclosed injury. We’re still awaiting word as to the severity of the injury.
Columbus Crew 2
2026 has been a tremendous season for Federico Higuaín and his Crew 2 side as Columbus comes into Wednesday’s match atop the Eastern Conference with 34 points on a 9-4-4 record with three shootout victories.
On top of their overall success, things have been good as of late for Crew 2 as they arrive at Beirne Stadium unbeaten in their last seven contests with four wins and three draws.
Columbus' attack has been pivotal as they rank seventh in accurate passes per match (389.2), seventh in accurate long balls per match (28.2), 12th in touches in the opposing box (432), tie for ninth in goals per match (1.8), and ninth in shots on target per match (5.4).
Thankfully for Revolution II, they won’t have to square off against former Vermont Green man Zach Zengue, who was loaned to St. Louis City on July 10th. Zengue led Crew 2 in goals with a staggering 10 plus three assists in 16 appearances.
Kevin Gbamble is another threat for Revs II as he’s tallied eight goals and a team-leading seven assists. Gbamble also leads MLS NEXT Pro in shots (59) and shots on target (28).
Forward Brent Adu-Gyamfi is another name to watch as he’s tallied five goals and four assists in 17 appearances.
Goalkeeper Luke Pruter has also been a force in net for Columbus as he’s tied for 10th in total saves with 41.
Previous Meetings:
Wednesday will mark the 13th all-time meeting between New England and Columbus. Momentum has been with Crew 2 as they secured eight wins in their first 12 contests.
After suffering losses in their first three meetings, where they were outscored 11-to-1, Revs II secured their first win over Crew 2 on May 25, 2023, as goals from Jordan Adebayo-Smith and Ben Awashie secured a 2-0 victory.
After four consecutive losses in 2023 and 2024, April 23, 2025, saw New England begin a run against Columbus as goals from Liam Butts and Cristiano Oliveira led to a 2-2 draw. New England walked away with the extra point following a 4-1 shootout victory.
Goals from Malcolm Fry led New England to a 2-1 victory on July 5, 2025. On August 10, 2025, Revs II secured another two points following a 2-2 draw and a 5-4 shootout victory.
New England’s run came to an end in their first meeting of 2026 as April 18 saw Crew 2 secure a 2-1 win on home soil.
