MLS Regular Season | Match #27
New England Revolution vs. LA Galaxy
Sunday August 28 | 8 p.m. ET
Gillette Stadium | Foxborough, Mass.
Watch: TV38, myRITV (Rhode Island)
– Talent: Brad Feldman (play-by-play), Charlie Davies (analyst), Tamara Brown (sideline)
Listen: 98.5 The Sports Hub (English), 1260 AM Nossa Radio (Portuguese)
CURRENT FORM
New England Revolution
8th in Eastern Conference (8-8-10, 34 pts.)
Last result | 4-0 loss at CF Montreal
Injuries and absences came to a head last weekend at the Stade Saputo, where the Revs missed out on eight potential contributors in a 4-0 loss to CF Montréal. The loss snapped what had been a five-game unbeaten run as the Revs had delivered results despite being ravaged by injuries over the last month, and it was only their third loss in 18 league games since April. .
One point behind last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with eight games remaining, the Revs now return to Foxborough to begin a critical three-game stay at home. Sunday night’s matchup with the Galaxy will be the first of a trio of home games in a span of just eight days, featuring Chicago Fire FC (Wednesday, Aug. 31) and New York City FC (Sunday, Sept. 4). ) also arriving in the city in the next week.
Los Angeles Galaxy
7th in Western Conference (10-11-4, 34 pts.)
Last result | 3-3 tie vs. Seattle Sounders FC
Like the Revs, the Galaxy find themselves wrapped up in the postseason race to come, as they currently sit last in the playoffs in the West on the tiebreaker of wins. Newcomers such as Riqui Puig and Gastón Brugman have been brought in to help the Galaxy in their quest to return to the playoffs, having reached the postseason just once in the past five years (2019).
Greg Vanney’s side have found their goalscoring form in recent weeks, racking up 10 goals in their last three games to average 3.33 goals per game, but going just 1-1-1 in that stretch. That’s because the Galaxy have also been vulnerable defensively, conceding nine goals during that three-game span.
KEY PLAYERS. MAIN PLAYERS
Brandon Bye, defender of the revolution
Brandon Bye has been a staple in the Revolution’s backline this season, playing just shy of 2,000 minutes to rank fourth on the team behind Carles Gil, DeJuan Jones and Andrew Farrell. The right-back has also been one of the Revolution’s best attacking weapons, recording a career-best six assists, second on the team and tied for the most by a Revolution defender in a single season in club history. club.
With several of Revolution’s biggest attacking weapons (Gustavo Bou, Dylan Borrero, Giacomo Vrioni, etc.) recovering from injuries, Bye (far right) and Jones (far left) could still be called upon to provide a blast. offense from their outside rear positions.
Chicharito, Galaxy forward
Concacaf has long known the talent of Mexican striker Javier “Chicharito” Hernández, and the 34-year-old brought that talent to MLS and the LA Galaxy in 2020, scoring 30 goals in 56 appearances. Sunday night, however, is shaping up to be his first appearance against the Revolution.
Chicharito has been particularly lethal of late, scoring in three consecutive league games and totaling four goals and one assist during that stretch. He most recently scored in last weekend’s 3-3 draw with Seattle Sounders FC, using a deft first touch to split two defenders and finish inside the far post.
STATUS REPORT
Revolution
New England continues to deal with a series of injuries ahead of its three-game homestand, though only rookie goalie Jacob Jackson (ACL surgery) is listed as out for Sunday’s matchup with the Galaxy. Dylan Borrero, Gustavo Bou, Wilfrid Kaptoum, Ismael Tajouri-Shradi and Giacomo Vrioni are listed as questionable with leg injuries having recently missed time.
Meanwhile, Henry Kessler, Noel Buck and Maciel should be back for the weekend.
“We’re still short on players,” Bruce Arena said Friday. But is better. This week we have some reservations that can help us. We’ve been short-staffed for a while and it’s getting a little better and hopefully as we move into the month of September we’ll be at full throttle.”
Galaxy
Information not available.
WHAT ARE THEY SAYING
Bruce Arena, Athletic Director and Head Coach of the New England Revolution
“Any positive points we get from these next three games will be very important as the playoff race is tight. If we take out maybe the first part of the year, we’ve played pretty well at home and we expect it to be a big advantage this week. It’s going to be a difficult week for us and for our opponent. We played three games in eight days so it will be a challenge and hopefully we will get some good support in the stands and be able to play well and get some points.”
Matt Polster, midfielder for the New England Revolution
“I think the most important thing in a stretch like this, especially at home, is to make sure that the first game is strong, and somehow we come together as a group and get all three points. That’s the most important thing, because the change to play in Chicago and then in New York is in five days, six days apart, so the first thing we have to focus on is the Galaxy, putting together a good performance. , a solid performance and getting Three points.”
