Union Hosts New England Saturday
By Matt Leon
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – The Philadelphia Union will be back home on Saturday as they welcome the New England Revolution to Chester.
Philadelphia comes in fresh off its first victory of the season. The Union went into Colorado and took care of the Rapids, 2-1 to improve to 1-1 on the season. Jack McInerney scored the game-winner in the 79th minute. The goal was set-up by second-year forward Antoine Hoppenot.
"I received the ball from our center-back, Jeff Parke, and I was able to get the ball under control," Hoppenot tells KYW Newsradio. "I was able to turn on the first defender, and at that point I'm able to run at the defenders. Jack made a great run across me and I was able to put it in his path, and he put it in the back of the net."
Hoppenot is looking to build off an impressive rookie season where he netted four goals and an assist in 25 games. He was selected by the Union out of Princeton in the third round of the 2012 MLS Supplemental Draft and he says everything has settled down for him here in year #2.
Antoine Hoppenot Interview
"You're use to the lifestyle and you're use to making sure you are prepared every day,"
Hoppenot says. "You have more confidence in your ability and your teammates have more confidence in you. So they are able to play you the ball more and you're able to do more with the ball. So that really helps, in terms of making sure that you're able to create stuff when I'm on the field."
New England has played just one match in MLS regular season action this season. They beat Chicago, 1-0, last weekend.
"They're a hard-working team and every time we play them, they give us a tough battle," Hoppenot says. "They're a good team, they were good last year and they're going to be even better this year."
Philadelphia has dominated the all-time series with the Revolution - in fact they have never lost to New England, going 4-0-3. Last season, Philadelphia netted a 2-0-1 ledger against the Revs.
Philadelphia and New England will get underway at 5:00pm on Saturday.
You can follow Matt on Twitter @mattleonkyw.
