FOXBOROUGH — After 17 days away from competitive matches, the Revolution return to the Major League Soccer calendar on Saturday when they welcome the counterattacking DC United to Gillette Stadium.
Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m., and kicks off a three-match homestand for The Boys In Blue: after DC, New England takes on two Western Conference opponents in their only meeting of the season. Seattle Sounders FC comes to Gillette next Saturday, July 7, followed by LA Galaxy and Zlatan Ibrahimovic the following Saturday, July 14.
Earlier this week, New England manager Brad Friedel noted United’s counterattacking skills, which were evident in DC’s last league match, a 4-4 draw with defending MLS Cup champion Toronto FC on June 13. The Original Ten side had jumped on top, 3-0, by the half, with DC’s counterattack accounting for two of its goals.
But the second half changed everything, as the Reds came forward through a disorganized defensive unit which has a tendency to lose its shape, not clear dangerous balls, and leave attacking players unmarked.
It is those things that the Revolution (6-4-6, 24 points, 5th) will need to exploit on home turf to grab three points against the last-place squad in the Eastern Conference (2-6-4, 10 points, 11th).
While it has scored 19 goals, DC has given up 24 — a fact Revs supporters should keep in mind as they make their way to Route 1 Saturday evening. Even though United are dead last, they aren’t a team to overlook, especially with attacking players such as Darren Mattocks, Luciano Acosta, and Yamil Asad.
All three can punish a lackadaisical defending side with their pace.
“They can attack very quick,” Friedel said. “Go back and look at the first half of the game against Toronto. It’s important that we take care of the ball in good areas, it’s important that our communication is good, it’s important that as we’re attacking we’re in good positions so if we do lose the ball, we’re able to recover it quickly.”
DC will be without playmaker Paul Arriola, who is out with a hip flexor injury, according to United’s injury report released Friday.
Friedel said Friday that the plan of attack is the same for his side in Arriola’s absence.
“He’s been a very good player for them; I know his very well from the Under-20s, and he presents energy and a lot of pace in the middle of the midfield, but they have a lot of players who can come into his place,” he said. “We’ll prepare the exact same.
“They are a team with a lot of dangerous players who have dangerous qualities. Hopefully, we’ll be able to expose them at times during the game; they’re going to hope to expose us.”
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“He’s coming around nicely.”
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