FOXBOROUGH — Into the last week we go.
The Revolution will play Montreal this Sunday in the final regular-season game of the 2018 season at Gillette Stadium, and first-year gaffer Brad Friedel — not to mention Revs Colony — hopes the level of play put on display against Real Salt Lake last Thursday is gone from their heads by the time 4:30 p.m. (NBC Sports Boston/WBZ-FM 98.5) rolls around.
New England yielded three goals in the first half an hour against RSL, then conceded a fourth in the 52nd minute. Kelyn Rowe would break his scoreless streak soon after thanks to a free kick chip by Diego Fagundez.
During his Tuesday morning media availability at Gillette Stadium, Friedel noted how important it is for the Revolution to respond to the RSL defeat in a positive fashion to close out the season.
“Montreal has a lot to play for, so I think it’s only right that we give maximum effort to make sure the final league standings are a true, accurate reading of what they should be,” he said. “The second reason, players are still playing for their positions next year and playing for contracts next year. Performances — especially that first half against Real Salt Lake — won’t help their chances.
“I think it’s important they have a good week of training; we started (Monday) with a good day. The players’ attitudes were very good. ... They have to be good all week and they’ll have to be good on Sunday evening.”
But while The Boys In Blue are out of it, Montreal isn’t. L’Impact sit seventh, two points in arrears to sixth-place Columbus.
A Montreal win over the Revolution and a Columbus draw with or loss to Minnesota United would see Montreal return above the red line and launch it into the playoffs. That would occur due to the wins tiebreaker: Montreal currently has 14 wins to Columbus’ 13.
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