What To Know Ahead Of Revolution-New York City FC MLS Playoff Match
FOXBORO (CBS) -- It has been a while since the New England Revolution set a new MLS regular season record with 73 points and claimed the franchise's first Supporters' Shield. Now it's finally time to see what the top-seeded Revs can do in the playoffs.
The Revolution were, for lack of a better word, awesome during the regular season. They put together the franchise's most successful six months in the club's 26-year history, setting a number of new team records including wins (22), away wins (10), goals scored (65), goal differential (plus-24), and assists (70). But all of that regular season success won't matter as much if the team can't finish it off with an MLS Cup.
That quest begins Tuesday when New England hosts New York City FC in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The playoffs will go through Gillette Stadium as long as the Revs keep advancing, and they get their first shot Tuesday night.
New England and New York City met three times during the regular season, and the Revs took two of those three matchups. Tommy McNamara led New England to a thrilling 3-2 win at Red Bull Stadium in June, breaking a 2-2 tie with an 88th minute tally. New York City enjoyed a 2-0 win over New England at Yankee Stadium in late August, with Golden Boot winner Valentín Castellanos scoring both goals for NYC. The Revs won the rubber match a few weeks later with a 2-1 victory at Gillette, as Tajon Buchanan scored the game-winner in the 65th minute.
New York City was the four-seed in the East after going 14-11-9 during the regular season, and advanced with a 2-0 win over Atlanta United in the Opening Round. New York City has lost just one match in October and November.
But the Revs, as we all know in New England, have been the best team in all of Major League Soccer since April. Here's everything you need to know heading into Tuesday's MLS Cup Playoff match at Gillette Stadium!
- The top-seeded Revolution are in the MLS Cup Playoffs for the third straight year and for the 16th time in the franchise's 26 years.
- Tuesday night will mark the first time that New England hosts fans for a home playoff game since the 2014 Eastern Conference Championship.
- With a win on Tuesday night, the Revolution will be in the Conference Final for the second straight year and the ninth time in club history.
- New England have 18 straight home playoff games without a loss dating back 1997 - the longest streak in MLS history. That streak excludes the 2002 MLS Cup, when the Revs were the "away" team in Foxboro. Factoring in that 2002 loss, which was officially a neutral-site game, New England is looking to extend a 13-match unbeaten run in postseason games played in Foxboro (10-0-3).
- Tuesday is New England's 48th postseason match, which is tied for fifth-most among all MLS clubs. The Revolution are 20-18-9 in postseason
play, including a 13-2-6 record in Foxboro.
- The Revolution and New York City FC are meeting in the postseason for the first time in club history. New England leads the all-time series, 9-6-4, with a 5-2-2 mark at home.
- The Revolution are 13-10-4 all-time in the Eastern Conference Semifinal Round of the MLS Cup Playoffs.
- New England's attack has 57 goals and 64 assists all-time in postseason play.
- Head coach and Sporting Director Bruce Arena is 35-13-6 in the postseason, including a 3-2-0 record with the Revolution. Arena is unbeaten in 32 postseason games when his team scores first, sitting at 29-0-3.
- Goalkeeper of the Year Matt Turner is 3-2-0 record in the playoffs with one clean sheet. He is 4-3-2 all-time against New York City FC, including two shutouts.
- Among active MLS goalkeepers with at least five postseason matches under their belt, Turner ranks in the top five in goals against average (0.80).
- Tuesday night will be the fifth playoff game together for New England's three Designated Players -- Gustavo Bou, Adam Buksa, and Carles Gil. The trio accounted for six of New England's seven goals in the 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs and combined for 35 goals and 31 assists in the 2021 regular season, the most by any DP combination in the league.
- Gil has three playoff assists with the Revs and needs just one more to enter a four-way tie with Lee Nguyen, Jose Cancela and Steve Ralston
for the most postseason helpers in club history.
- Last year, Bou propelled the Revolution into the 2020 Eastern Conference Final with a brace against Orlando City SC. He is only the second player in
club history to submit a double in a playoff game, joining Charlie Davies, who hit the mark twice in the club's run to the MLS Cup in 2014.
- New England was Major League Soccer's best team over the opening 45 minutes of matches this season, leading MLS with a first-half goal differential of plus-12. The Revs scored 31 goals in the first half of contests, the second most in MLS this season. The club's best 15-minute interval was from 16-30, when they outscored opponents 13-3.
- The Revolution won an MLS-record 18 matches by a one-goal margin. New England is the fourth team in MLS history to notch at least 13
wins in one-goal games, a feat last accomplished by the Colorado Rapids in 2016.
Of those 18 victories, six were a 2-1 scoreline, another six by a 3-2 scoreline and six by a 1-0 margin. In 14 of those games, the winning goal from New England was scored in the second half, including seven times after the 75th minute.
Get ready for New England-NYC FC with the WBZ-TV sports team Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. on TV38 with our Revolution Kickoff Special!!!