FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Revolution will return home to face Sporting Kansas City at Gillette Stadium on Saturday, April 23, looking to snap a two-game skid. Saturday’s match will be the Revs’ first against the new-look Kansas City side, which rolled out a new identity this off-season.

SERIES INFORMATION AGAINST KANSAS CITY
New England vs. Kansas City Series Information

• Saturday night’s match will be the 41st regular-season meeting between the two teams, and the first since Kansas City rebranded as Sporting Kansas City in the off-season … the teams also met once in SuperLiga, playing to a 1-1 draw in 2009
• The teams split the 2010 regular-season series, with both teams winning at home … Kansas City defeated New England in its temporary home stadium, CommunityAmerica Ballpark, on Aug. 21, and New England avenged the loss at home with a 1-0 triumph in its final home game of the season on Oct. 16
• The Revs are 1-5-1 in their last seven regular-season meetings against Kansas City … prior to that stretch, New England had won three straight games against Kansas City from Aug. 2, 2007 to April 9. 2008
• Kansas City leads the all-time, regular-season series between the two teams, 20-12-8, during which it has outscored New England, 64-50.
• There is a history of close games between the teams, with 27 matches determined by one goal or fewer … 12 games have been decided by a two-goal spread, while just one match – last year’s 4-1 KC victory – has been decided by three or more goals
• New England won six of its first 11 meetings with the KC in the all-time series, but the Revs have struggled since … the Revs are 6-15-8 in their last 29 meetings with Kansas City dating back to 2000

Player Notes vs. Kansas City

• Shalrie Joseph leads all current Revs players with four goals in 20 appearances against Kansas City … he has also added three assists … his last goal came in the Revs’ 1-0 victory on Oct. 16, 2010 at Gillette Stadium
• Kenny Mansally has two goals and one assist in six career appearances against Kansas City … his last goal came in the Revs’ 4-1 loss in Kansas City on Aug. 21, 2010
• Sainey Nyassi (one goal, one assist) and Kheli Dube (one goal) have also scored goals against KC
• Chris Tierney has one assist against the then-Wizards, helping set up Shalrie Joseph’s game-winning strike last October
• Matt Reis has played 2,369 minutes against Kansas City in his career, 656 more than the next player (Shalrie Joseph, 1,713 minutes) … he is 6-8-6 in his Revolution career against Kansas City, posting a 1.33 goals against average and six shutouts … he made a career-high 11 saves in the Revolution’s scoreless draw with the Wizards on July 11, 2009
• Bobby Shuttleworth posted his first-career shutout on Oct. 16, 2010, with a four-save effort against the then-Wizards at Gillette Stadium

TEAM NOTES

Greener Goals Are Set For Saturday
On one of the “greenest” weekends of the year, the Revs will inch closer toward achieving their Greener Goals at Saturday’s game … in celebration of Earth Day on April 22, the Revolution will help raise environmental awareness with a series of activities at Saturday’s game:

• Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s MassRIDES division will be on site promoting the NuRide rewards program, which allows commuters to accumulate points toward Massachusetts-area rewards
• Waste Management will be on site to collect used household batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, 9-volt), as well as old cell phones
• MLS W.O.R.K.S. will distribute 5,000 eco-tip guides, as well as 1,000 packets of seeds to fans
• MLS W.O.R.K.S. also purchased Renewable Energy Certificates – from 100 percent wind resources – from Portland, Ore.-based Bonneville Environmental Foundation to offset 100 percent of the electricity used at Gillette Stadium during Saturday’s game

The Boys are Back on Saturday
Midfielders Shalrie Joseph and Pat Phelan are scheduled to return to the field on Saturday against Kansas City … both players were forced to sit out last Sunday’s game in Houston while serving one-game red-card suspensions for their infractions against Real Salt Lake on Saturday, April 9.

Lekic Debuts
Sunday’s match in Houston served as Rajko Lekic’s MLS and Revolution debut … the striker started and played the full 90 minutes after signing with the club on Friday, April 8 … Lekic lined up at forward with Marko Perović and Zack Schilawski and had one shot in his inaugural run-out with the club.

Reis Returns
Matt Reis, who missed the last two matches with a right adductor strain, returned to the lineup on Sunday at Houston … the Revs’ netminder was called into duty often in his return performance, making seven saves.

New Team “Iron Man” Emerges
With Shalrie Joseph missing Sunday’s match in Houston, his team-leading 25-game consecutive appearance mark was snapped as he had appeared in all of the Revs’ MLS matches since May 22, 2010, at Toronto … the Revs’ consecutive appearances leader is now Zack Schilawski, who has seen time in nine straight games dating back to Oct. 10, 2010, at Houston.

COMMUNITY NEWS

Big Visit to Children’s Hospital on Wednesday
On Wednesday, 10 members of the New England Revolution will visit Children’s Hospital Boston for a pre-Easter visit … the Revs players will decorate Easter eggs with patients in small groups, before making one-on-one visits to patients’ rooms … players scheduled to visit Children’s Hospital include: Zak Boggs, Ryan Cochrane, Ryan Kinne, Alan Koger, Rajko Lekic, Stephen McCarthy, Tim Murray, Marko Perovic, A.J. Soares and Ilija Stolica.

Community Clinic planned for Gillette Stadium – Friday, April 22
The Revolution will stage a free community clinic at Gillette Stadium on Friday, April 22 … festivities begin at 12 p.m. sharp, with registration for already-RSVPd participants starting at 11:30 a.m. under the lighthouse and bridge in the Patriot Place Plaza … the entire Revolution roster – including the first team and youth teams – will be in attendance at the clinic … registration has closed for this event.

SUPPORTERS NEWS

Next Away-Game Viewing: April 30
The next away-game viewing party will be held on Saturday, April 30, in Providence … in conjunction with the Rebellion, Revs fans will gather to support the team as it travels to face Chivas USA … the event starts at 10 p.m. at Whiskey Republic (515 South Water Street, Providence, RI), and there will be no cover charge for the Revolution viewing party.