After winning the club’s first Supporters’ Shield, the Revolution return to action Sunday on FS1 looking to tie the MLS points record
ORLANDO, Fla. – The New England Revolution (21-4-6; 69 pts.), winners of the 2021 Supporters’ Shield as the league’s best regular season team, will visit Orlando City SC (12-8-10; 46 pts.) for a Sunday night tilt at Exploria Stadium. The nationally televised match kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1 and FOX Deportes. New England’s final road contest of the season also airs locally on the radio on 98.5 The Sports Hub HD2 and 1260 AM Nossa Radio in Portuguese.
With the club’s first Supporters’ Shield title locked up and three games left to play in the team’s historic campaign, the Revolution are within touching distance of more MLS history. The Revs’ 69 points, the most ever through 31 games of a season, are tied for third most in a season in MLS history. A win at Orlando would tie LAFC’s record mark of 72 points set in 2019. In addition, New England’s next victory would tie the modern-era record for wins in a season (22).
Sporting Director and Head Coach Bruce Arena, who won his league-high fourth Supporters’ Shield, will also make history with his next victory. Arena enters the weekend needing one more triumph to tie Sigi Schmid (240) for the most regular season wins in league history.
New England, winners of eight of their last nine games on the road, carry a four-game away winning streak – tied for the longest in team history – into Sunday’s match. The Revolution could become the third team in league history to record at least 11 away wins, and the only team to do so in the post-shootout era (since 2000). The Revs’ 33 road points are already the second most in MLS history, while a win would bring them within one point of the most all-time (37 – LA Galaxy, 1998).
The Revolution’s latest away win came courtesy of goals from Gustavo Bou, Adam Buksa, and Carles Gil, marking the first time all three of the Revs’ Designated Players scored in the same match. The trio owns a combined 33 goals and 28 assists for the Revs’ league-leading attack, as all three players rank among the league’s top 11 in direct goal involvement. Bou’s 15 goals this season, one ahead of Buksa for the team lead, rank fourth in the MLS Golden Boot race – two off the league lead. The Argentinian forward has scored three goals and four assists in his last six games, while Buksa has delivered four goals in his last five games.
Meanwhile, Carles Gil – who tallied his fourth goal of the campaign at D.C. United on Wednesday – needs three more assists in the final three games to set a new club record and become the fourth MLS player with 20 helpers in a single campaign. With eight more chances created, he will set a new league record for chances created in a season (Diego Valeri – 124 in 2018).
Orlando is looking to secure a playoff spot and stay above the fourth-place line to guarantee a home game in the postseason. The Lions are 8-2-5 at home this season, most recently playing to a 1-1 draw with CF Montreal. Orlando is unbeaten, 2-0-2, over its last four games. Former Manchester United forward Nani leads the Lions’ attack with nine goals, while midfielder Mauricio Pereyra is one of 10 MLS players in double-digit assists with 10 helpers on the season. New England leads the all-time series against Orlando, 5-2-5.
Game 32 at Orlando City SC
Date: Sunday, October 24, 2021
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Exploria Stadium (Orlando, Fla.)
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: FS1, FOX Deportes (Streaming on FOX Sports App)
Talent: John Strong, Danielle Slaton
English Radio: 98.5 The Sports Hub HD2
Radio Talent: Brad Feldman (play-by-play), Charlie Davies (analyst)
Portuguese Radio: WBIX 1260 AM “Nossa Radio USA”
STORYLINES: Click HERE to view the Revolution’s Game Notes for Sunday’s match against Orlando City SC. Here are a few top storylines to watch for on Sunday:
- The 2021 Supporters’ Shield-winning Revolution winning one more game to tie the MLS single-season points record (72 – LAFC, 2019).
- The Revs maintaining their 2.23 points per game pace to set a new MLS record (2.13 – LA Galaxy, 2018).
- New England earning a 22nd win to tie the MLS record for modern-era wins (22). The official MLS record for wins in a season is 24, set during the shootout era.
- The Revolution becoming the third team in MLS history to win at least 11 road games, and the first to do so in the post-shootout era (since 2000). The Revs are already one of three teams to win 10 away games in regulation.
- The Revs’ attack continuing to lead MLS in goals (62), assists (65), shots on target (168), chances created (351), and corner kicks (192).
- GK Matt Turner (16) setting a new club record for wins with his next victory. Turner is unbeaten, 2-0-2, in four career games played against the Lions.
- New England’s trio of Designated Players – F Gustavo Bou, F Adam Buksa, and M Carles Gil – adding to their combined 33 goals and 28 assists.
- Gil continuing to lead MLS in assists (17), chances created (117), chances created from open play (70), and chances created from set play (47).
- Gil (117) recording seven chances created to tie Diego Valeri’s league record of 124 in a single season (source: Opta – data since 2011).
- Bou continuing to lead MLS in combined goals and assists (42) since he entered the league on July 17, 2019. He ranks second in the category in 2021 with 23, one off the league lead.
- Bou finding the scoresheet with a goal or assist for the sixth straight game.
- Buksa adding to his six goals and two assists in his last eight appearances.
- M Tommy McNamara, tied with D Andrew Farrell for the team lead in appearances (30), following his two-assist performance in Wednesday’s 3-2 win at D.C. United.
