The New England Revolution enters Week 22 of the Major League Soccer season with a record of 6-9-6, and while they are currently gridlocked with Columbus, Orlando and Toronto with 24 points, New England sits in sixth-place of the Eastern Conference due to -7 goal differential.
The Revolution were previously in much better shape before their current rut dropped them down the standings. Last weekend, New England fell to the New York Red Bulls, 4-1, extending their losing streak to five games, and over that span, they’ve surrendered a whopping 13 goals, while scoring only three.
New England hopes to finally snap this losing skid when they take on New York City Football Club on July 18. The first-ever meeting between these Eastern Conference teams came on March 15 at Yankee Stadium, when goals by David Villa and Patrick Mullins were enough for NYCFC to record the win. The Revolution will aim to avenge the 2-0 loss this Saturday on their home turf at Gillette Stadium.
When seeking out tickets for this important NYCFC versus New England late-season matchup, the best route to explore is actually directly through the team, as Ticketmaster prices are yielding better deals than what can be found on the secondary market. Of course, this has a lot to do with the potential debut of Frank Lampard for NYCFC, which is causing a rapid rise in cost from other sellers, but straight from the team, the prices remain the same, although there aren’t many tickets left. Nonetheless, quality seats can still be obtained, such as in section 113, row 36, where seats can be acquired for only $37. Furthermore, there are still plenty of seats in section 135, row 26 that can also be obtained, and such seating consists of the same $37 price tag for what could be a historic affair. Lampard suffered a calf injury prior to the club’s last match, thus halting his debut with NYCFC, but he’ll most likely be ready for this upcoming fixture. NYCFC certainly hopes so as they make their postseason push.
Last season, the Revolution finished second in the Eastern Conference, before making a storied run to MLS Cup 2014, where they lost to the LA Galaxy. In order for them to ensure a playoff return, Jay Heap needs to get his side back on track, starting with this match.
Forward Charlie Davies has started 15 of the 20 matches he has appeared in this season. The former Boston College All-American is New England’s current goal-scoring leader with 7 but hasn’t found the net since June 21. For New England to snap out of this rough stretch, Davies and fellow forward Teal Bunbury must pressure and harass the defense of NYCFC.
Outside of the forwards, midfielders Lee Nguyen and team assist leader Kelyn Rowe must also show up in a big way. Nguyen was a major part of last season’s success, starting 32 games and contributing 18 goals. This season, he has managed only two goals through the first 19 games. Rowe has been one of the bright spots, however, tallying five assists so far, which already equals his total from 2014. Rowe looks on pace to, at least, tie his career-high totals for goals and assists. During the 2013 campaign, he scored seven goals while adding eight assists in 33 appearances.
Fans interested in attending should act quickly to secure admission to this Saturday night fixture. Goal-getter David Villa will lead NYCFC, coming off of an explosive 4-4 draw against Toronto FC. Villa will be a part of the 2015 MLS All-Star squad, who will face Tottenham Hotspurs of the English Premier League on July 29. Villa is on a personal hot streak, having scored braces in back-to-back matches, extending his season total to ten goals.
