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Played
July 31, 2010 3:30 PM EDT
PPL Park, Chester, Pa.
July 31, 2010 3:30 PM EDT
PPL Park, Chester, Pa.
Philadelphia Union Vs New England Revolution: Head To Head Preview
By Ramin Majd and Steve Stoehr
On Form
Philadelphia Union: The Union (4-8-2, 14 points) find themselves in a good run of form. They beat Toronto FC 2-1 at PPL Park on July 17. Four days later they played above expectations in a 0-1 loss to Manchester United in a friendly at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
At the MLS All-Star break, Sebastien Le Toux is tied for fourth in the league with seven goals. Danny Mwanga's five goals are especially notable since the rookie has not been a starter for much of the season.
New England Revolution: The Revs managed to parlay their July 10 upset over the LA Galaxy into three straight 1-0 victories in SuperLiga group play. Spearheading this strong run of form has been Marko Perovic, who scored the winner against LA, then made a statement of intent in the SuperLiga by bagging two goals in the final two games. It's also no accident that New England’s recent run of four consecutive clean sheets coincides with Darrius Barnes' return from injury. The second-year defender has looked his usual calm and composed self at the back over the past few weeks.
Off Target
Philadelphia: While he's improved since early in the season, keeper Chris Seitz has not yet kept a clean sheet, and his 1.86 goals against average is worst among regular starting MLS keepers. Union defenders Cristian Arrieta, Jordan Harvey, and Michael Orozco Fiscal have shown versatility with their play on the attack, but captain Danny Califf's back line still suffers the occasional marking lapse and unnecessary booking.
New England: Despite winning their last four matches on the trot, New England is still suffering from goalscoring woes. Zack Schilawski and Sainey Nyassi got among the goals this month but the offense has been placed firmly on the shoulders of Marko Perovic, especially in light of Steve Ralston's sudden retirement. Perovic has been splendid but he can't be relied on forever; New England needs offense from somewhere else on the pitch if they are to continue their resurgence. With Kheli Dube recently ruled out after suffering a knee ligament strain, the onus will fall on players like Schilawski, Nyassi, Mansally, Joseph, and Tierney to help keep the Revs offense clicking.
Tactics
Philadelphia: Peter Nowak doesn't like to be called stubborn. I'll meet him halfway and call him consistent -- whether up or down, at home or on the road, the club plays entertaining, end-to-end, attacking soccer. You never have to worry about this team putting 10 men behind the ball to preserve a draw. But this weekend, we're likely to see a considerable change in personnel. Since the Toronto game, the Union have signed two midfielders: Argentine Eduardo Coudet and the young but longtime MLS veteran Justin Mapp.
It's hard to believe Nowak would make these moves if he were 100% satisfied with his starting midfield. It will interesting to see how many minutes -- if any -- Stefani Miglioranzi, Fred, and the rest lose.
New England: Perhaps prompted by a lengthening injury list or inspired by Perovic's sparkling form, Steve Nicol seems to have settled on a 4-4-1-1 formation in recent times, with Perovic playing in behind the lone striker as a withdrawn forward. Schilawski will almost certainly start up top and a midfield quartet of Tierney, Nyassi, Joseph, and Niouky looks most likely. Look for the Revs to continue to exploit the speed of Nyassi and the technique of Tierney on the wings. Also, Marko Perovic seems to have finally begun to click with his teammates, and that trust has been resulting in some very good play. All of the Revs' best moves will flow through him, with Joseph pulling the strings.
Intangibles
Philadelphia: Since their last league game, the Union have played the most famous club in world, signed two potential starters, and celebrated their first-ever All-Star selection (Le Toux). The team taking the field on Saturday will be different -- mentally and personnel-wise -- from the side that faced Toronto two weeks ago. Just how different we'll find out.
New England: Unlike most MLS teams, New England has refrained from scheduling any friendlies in the last two weeks, allowing them to concentrate on SuperLiga and then leaving them with a week and a half off to recover. The Revs will be taking a four-game winning streak and a revitalized defense into Philadelphia this week and must ride that momentum if they want to take three points in a hostile environment. It must be said that all four of those victories came at home -- this trip will let everyone know if the Revs are for real, or just getting lucky.
Outcome
Philadelphia: The Union shouldn't expect to beat anyone in their inaugural season -- except the Revolution. The Revs have had a rough go in league play this season, earning just 14 points in 15 games. Philly will be looking for three points and they'll get them. Philadelphia 2-1 New England.
New England: The Revs will be setting foot into PPL Park for the first time well-rested and high on confidence. Their defense is clicking, the offense is doing just enough to snatch the win, and all signs point to a sustained run at a playoff berth. That said, PPL Park is rapidly becoming one of the most difficult venues to play at for any visiting team in MLS, and the rabid Philly fan base will be sure to make life miserable for the Revolution. An inspired team performance from the Union will stymie the Revs, though Perovic will get on the scoresheet. I predict a 1-1 draw.
For more on Major League Soccer, visit Goal.com's MLS page and join Goal.com USA's Facebook fan page!
Philadelphia Union: The Union (4-8-2, 14 points) find themselves in a good run of form. They beat Toronto FC 2-1 at PPL Park on July 17. Four days later they played above expectations in a 0-1 loss to Manchester United in a friendly at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
At the MLS All-Star break, Sebastien Le Toux is tied for fourth in the league with seven goals. Danny Mwanga's five goals are especially notable since the rookie has not been a starter for much of the season.
New England Revolution: The Revs managed to parlay their July 10 upset over the LA Galaxy into three straight 1-0 victories in SuperLiga group play. Spearheading this strong run of form has been Marko Perovic, who scored the winner against LA, then made a statement of intent in the SuperLiga by bagging two goals in the final two games. It's also no accident that New England’s recent run of four consecutive clean sheets coincides with Darrius Barnes' return from injury. The second-year defender has looked his usual calm and composed self at the back over the past few weeks.
Off Target
Philadelphia: While he's improved since early in the season, keeper Chris Seitz has not yet kept a clean sheet, and his 1.86 goals against average is worst among regular starting MLS keepers. Union defenders Cristian Arrieta, Jordan Harvey, and Michael Orozco Fiscal have shown versatility with their play on the attack, but captain Danny Califf's back line still suffers the occasional marking lapse and unnecessary booking.
New England: Despite winning their last four matches on the trot, New England is still suffering from goalscoring woes. Zack Schilawski and Sainey Nyassi got among the goals this month but the offense has been placed firmly on the shoulders of Marko Perovic, especially in light of Steve Ralston's sudden retirement. Perovic has been splendid but he can't be relied on forever; New England needs offense from somewhere else on the pitch if they are to continue their resurgence. With Kheli Dube recently ruled out after suffering a knee ligament strain, the onus will fall on players like Schilawski, Nyassi, Mansally, Joseph, and Tierney to help keep the Revs offense clicking.
Tactics
Philadelphia: Peter Nowak doesn't like to be called stubborn. I'll meet him halfway and call him consistent -- whether up or down, at home or on the road, the club plays entertaining, end-to-end, attacking soccer. You never have to worry about this team putting 10 men behind the ball to preserve a draw. But this weekend, we're likely to see a considerable change in personnel. Since the Toronto game, the Union have signed two midfielders: Argentine Eduardo Coudet and the young but longtime MLS veteran Justin Mapp.
It's hard to believe Nowak would make these moves if he were 100% satisfied with his starting midfield. It will interesting to see how many minutes -- if any -- Stefani Miglioranzi, Fred, and the rest lose.
New England: Perhaps prompted by a lengthening injury list or inspired by Perovic's sparkling form, Steve Nicol seems to have settled on a 4-4-1-1 formation in recent times, with Perovic playing in behind the lone striker as a withdrawn forward. Schilawski will almost certainly start up top and a midfield quartet of Tierney, Nyassi, Joseph, and Niouky looks most likely. Look for the Revs to continue to exploit the speed of Nyassi and the technique of Tierney on the wings. Also, Marko Perovic seems to have finally begun to click with his teammates, and that trust has been resulting in some very good play. All of the Revs' best moves will flow through him, with Joseph pulling the strings.
Intangibles
Philadelphia: Since their last league game, the Union have played the most famous club in world, signed two potential starters, and celebrated their first-ever All-Star selection (Le Toux). The team taking the field on Saturday will be different -- mentally and personnel-wise -- from the side that faced Toronto two weeks ago. Just how different we'll find out.
New England: Unlike most MLS teams, New England has refrained from scheduling any friendlies in the last two weeks, allowing them to concentrate on SuperLiga and then leaving them with a week and a half off to recover. The Revs will be taking a four-game winning streak and a revitalized defense into Philadelphia this week and must ride that momentum if they want to take three points in a hostile environment. It must be said that all four of those victories came at home -- this trip will let everyone know if the Revs are for real, or just getting lucky.
Outcome
Philadelphia: The Union shouldn't expect to beat anyone in their inaugural season -- except the Revolution. The Revs have had a rough go in league play this season, earning just 14 points in 15 games. Philly will be looking for three points and they'll get them. Philadelphia 2-1 New England.
New England: The Revs will be setting foot into PPL Park for the first time well-rested and high on confidence. Their defense is clicking, the offense is doing just enough to snatch the win, and all signs point to a sustained run at a playoff berth. That said, PPL Park is rapidly becoming one of the most difficult venues to play at for any visiting team in MLS, and the rabid Philly fan base will be sure to make life miserable for the Revolution. An inspired team performance from the Union will stymie the Revs, though Perovic will get on the scoresheet. I predict a 1-1 draw.
For more on Major League Soccer, visit Goal.com's MLS page and join Goal.com USA's Facebook fan page!
Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
-
Philadelphia Union 3-1 New England Revolution
- 26.32 %
-
Philadelphia Union 0-1 New England Revolution
- 21.05 %
-
Philadelphia Union 2-1 New England Revolution
- 15.79 %
| USA - Major League Soccer (MLS) | Sep 7, 2011 | Philadelphia Union 4 - New England Revolution 4 |
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| USA - Major League Soccer (MLS) | Jul 17, 2011 | New England Revolution 0 - Philadelphia Union 3 |
|
| USA - Major League Soccer (MLS) | Aug 28, 2010 | New England Revolution 1 - Philadelphia Union 2 |
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| USA - Major League Soccer (MLS) | Jul 31, 2010 | Philadelphia Union 1 - New England Revolution 1 |
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Philadelphia Union
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| May 26, 2012 | Toronto FC 1 - Philadelphia Union 0 | MLS |
| May 19, 2012 | FC Dallas 1 - Philadelphia Union 1 | MLS |
| May 13, 2012 | Philadelphia Union 2 - New York Red Bulls 3 | MLS |
| May 5, 2012 | Seattle Sounders FC 1 - Philadelphia Union 0 | MLS |
| Apr 28, 2012 | Philadelphia Union 1 - San Jose 2 | MLS |
New England Revolution
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||
| Jun 2, 2012 | New England Revolution 2 - Chicago Fire 0 | MLS |
| May 26, 2012 | D.C. United 3 - New England Revolution 2 | MLS |
| May 19, 2012 | New England Revolution 2 - Houston Dynamo 2 | MLS |
| May 12, 2012 | New England Revolution 4 - Vancouver Whitecaps FC 1 | MLS |
| May 5, 2012 | Real Salt Lake 2 - New England Revolution 1 | MLS |
| 1 | Chris Seitz | Goalkeeper |
| - | Christian Arrieta | Defender |
| 26 | Jordan Harvey | Defender |
| 16 | Michael Orozco | Defender |
| - | Dan Califf | Defender |
| 15 | Stefani Miglioranzi | Midfielder |
| 10 | Alejandro Moreno | Striker |
| 7 | Sebastien Le Toux | Midfielder |
| 10 | Danny Mwanga | Striker |
| 5 | Fred | Midfielder |
| 8 | Eduardo Coudet | Midfielder |
| - | Brad Knighton | Goalkeeper |
| 22 | Nick Zimmerman | Midfielder |
| 12 | Toni Stahl | Midfielder |
| 14 | Amobi Okugo | Midfielder |
| 21 | Justin Mapp | Midfielder |
| 45 | Andrew Jacobson | Midfielder |
| 19 | Jack McInerney | Striker |
| 1 | Matt Reis | Goalkeeper |
| 5 | Cory Gibbs | Defender |
| 8 | Chris Tierney | Defender |
| 28 | Pat Phelan | Defender |
| 15 | Zack Schilawski | Striker |
| 17 | Marko Perovic | Midfielder |
| 25 | Darrius Barnes | Defender |
| - | Emmanuel Osei | |
| 30 | Kevin Alston | Defender |
| 21 | Shalrie Joseph | Midfielder |
| 14 | Sainey Nyassi | Midfielder |
| 34 | Bobby Shuttleworth | Goalkeeper |
| - | Seth Sinovic | Defender |
| 23 | Joseph Niouky | Midfielder |
| - | Khano Smith | Midfielder |
| 44 | Kenny Mansally | Striker |
| Danny Mwanga | |
| Position: | Striker |
| Squad Number: | 10 |
| Games | Goals | YC | RC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Marko Perovic | |
| Position: | Midfielder |
| Squad Number: | 17 |
| Games | Goals | YC | RC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Results
Times In EST
Match News
Top Scorers
| Player | Goals | Penalties | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Kenny Cooper
Striker NY Red Bulls |
11 | 2 |
|
Chris Wondolowski
Striker San Jose Earthquakes |
11 | 1 |
|
Thierry Henry
Striker NY Red Bulls |
9 | 0 |
|
Saer Sene
Striker New England |
7 | 1 |
|
Maicon Santos
Striker D.C. United |
7 | 0 |