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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Fresh off a 1-0 road win at Chicago Saturday night, the New England Revolution is gearing up for the team’s Rivalry Week match at the Philadelphia Union on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. ET, and Comcast SportsNet will televise the game live. 98.5 The Sports Hub will carry the game on the radio.

Rivalry Week, which pits the league’s regional rivals against each other all on one weekend, also includes matches between New York and D.C.; Montreal and Toronto; Chicago and Kansas City; Houston and Dallas; Real Salt Lake and Colorado; LA and Chivas USA; and Seattle and Portland.

ICYMI:

revolutionsoccer.net:
March 5 – Revs eye return to the postseason in 2013
March 6 – Injured Tierney “not far off” from return
March 7 – After Week 1 bye, Revs eager for opener
March 9 – Revolution 1, Fire 0
March 9 – Postgame Quotes, Revs 1, Fire 0
March 9 – Heaps: 2nd Half sub Rowe “changed the game”

mlssoccer.com
March 7 – New England stick to long view on stadium hunt: “An urban location … is critical”

csnne.com
Revs welcome Euro invasion of players
Inside Access – Dinner with the Revolution
What can the Revs expect from Andrew Farrell
New England Revolution compete in FIFA13 tournament

ONLINE HISTORICAL ARCHIVES AVAILABLE
New for 2013, the Revs have loaded all of the team’s historical archives – previously found in a printed media guide – online at revolutionsoccer.net … media can access this digital information atrevolutionsoccer.net/history… information posted includes year-by-year results, stats, lineups and box scores, club records and opponent capsules with information updated entering the 2013 season.

THIS WEEK’S HEADLINES

Week 2 win there for the taking
Following Saturday’s 1-0 win at Chicago to officially open the 2013 season, the Revs now have a chance to do something they’ve never done: follow a season-opening win with a win in their second game … the Revs are 5-9-4 in season openers, but just 0-2-2 in their second games after an opening win … the Revs have never started a season 2-0-0.

Week 1 win a playoff omen?
The Revs earned a win in five of 18 season openers in club history … in the four previous occasions the team won their opening game, the Revs advanced to the MLS Cup Playoffs: 1997, 2006, 2008 and 2009.

Wins elusive vs. Philly …
Saturday’s match in Chester provides the Revs an opportunity to snap a seven-game winless streak – in seven matches – against the Union since they entered the league in 2010 … New England also enters with a four-game winless streak at PPL Park … the Revolution is 0-4-3 in the regular season against the Union and 0-2-2 in matches played at PPL Park.

… But Chicago match an example?
The Revs entered last Saturday’s match winless (0-6-1) in their previous seven matches at Toyota Park, following a 3-3 draw and 2-1 win in their two 2006 games there … the team’s 1-0 win snapped that skid and gave the team their first win in Chicago since 2006.

Fresh faces make debuts
The Revs debuted five new players on Saturday night in Chicago: Chad Barrett (substitute), Kalifa Cisse, Andrew Farrell, Jose Goncalves and Donnie Smith … all but Barrett were also making their MLS debuts.

Clean sheets carry into new year
With a 1-0 win at Chicago on Saturday, the Revs posted their third consecutive shutout dating back to the end of the 2012 season … New England scored a 1-0 win at home over Chicago on Oct. 20, 2012, following a 1-0 win at Montreal on Oct. 27, 2012 … combined, the Revs have not allowed a goal in 286 minutes with Matt Reis (1) and Bobby Shuttleworth (2) combining in the streak … the Revs’ last goal against came on Oct. 6 at Philadelphia –  a 73rd minute strike by Jack McInerney to help earn a 1-0 Union win at PPL Park.

Rookie Debuts
A pair of Revs rookies made their MLS debuts on Saturday as Andrew Farrell – the number one overall draft pick in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft – and Donnie Smith made the starting XI … Farrell lined up at right back, while Smith drew the start at left midfield … Farrell played the full 90 minutes, while Smith played 53 minutes … with a pair of rookies in the opening day starting lineup, it marked the fifth straight year the Revs started at least one rookie in Game 1.

That Guy is back
Ryan Guy returned late last week after spending two weeks with Guam at qualifiers for the AFC Challenge Cup in Myanmar … Guy earned three caps at the tournament, playing 90 minutes in all three games … Guam’s results included a 5-0 loss to Myanmar (Saturday, March 2), a 4-0 loss to India (Monday, March 4) and a 3-0 win over Chinese Taipai (Wednesday, March 6) … Guy now has nine caps for Guam.

Single-game tickets on sale
Single-game tickets to 2013 New England Revolution matches are now on sale through all Ticketmaster outlets … individual tickets purchased in advance start at $24 for bowl seating. Buy tickets here.

National Anthem contest launched
The Revolution is giving local musicians the opportunity to perform in the same venue where superstars like Taylor Swift, Kenny Chesney and Bon Jovi will play this summer ... ahead of its first-ever National Anthem Auditions in March, the Revolution is looking for talented soloists, groups, instrumentalists and other unique musicians to perform the anthem for the team’s 2013 home games at Gillette Stadium... performers interested in being considered can submit their sample performances digitally between now and 4 p.m. on Friday, March 15 ... more information on the National Anthem auditions, including how to make submissions is available here.

SATURDAY’S OPPONENT & SERIES INFORMATION

Revolution vs. Philadelphia (regular-season): 0-4-3
Home: 0-2-1
Away: 0-2-2

TEAM NOTES AGAINST PHILADELPHIA

• Philadelphia holds a 4-0-3 lead in the all-time series between the two clubs, dating back to the first meeting in 2010
• The Revs are 0-2-2 all-time at PPL Park against the Union … the clubs played to a pair of draws in the first two meetings in Chester before the Union swept the Revs in 2012: 2-1 win on July 29, and a 1-0 win on Oct. 6
• Saturday’s match is the first of three meetings this season … the next two meetings will be played at Gillette Stadium on April 27 and Aug. 25
• The Union has won the regular-season series between the two clubs in each of the club’s first three seasons: 2010, 2011 and 2012
• Five of the seven meetings have been decided by goals in the 70th minute or later … the first meeting on July 31, 2010, at PPL Park, the Revs used Marko Perovic’s 71st minute goal to equalize and secure a 1-1 draw … Union goals in the 82nd and 92nd minutes equalized, and then sealed a win, respectively, on August 28, 2010, at Gillette Stadium … Philadelphia stormed back with 80th and 91st minute goals to force a 4-4 draw on Sept. 7, 2011 … a 90th-minute goal for the Union sealed a 2-1 victory on July 29, 2012, at PPL Park … a 73rd minute goal on Oct. 6, 2012, was Philly’s decider in a 1-0 win
• The Revolution was the first team to earn a draw at PPL Park … Philadelphia was 2-1-0 at its new facility heading into the July 31, 2010 meeting with New England

PLAYER NOTES AGAINST PHILADELPHIA

• Chad Barrett, despite not a game against Philly for New England, is the team’s leading scorer with two goals against the Union … his first goal came as a member of Toronto FC in 2010, while he added a second in 2012 as a member of the LA Galaxy
• Saer Sene has one goal in one career appearance against Philadelphia … Sene’s blast on July 29, 2012 earned him MLS goal of the week honors
• A.J. Soares is the only other current Revolution player who has scored goal against Philadelphia … he scored in the 4-4 draw at PPL Park on Sept. 7, 2011
• Chris Tierney has two career assists against Philadelphia, recording both on Sept. 7, 2011
• Only one other active player has factored in scoring against Philadelphia: Kelyn Rowe earned the assist on Saer Sene’s goal at PPL Park on July 29, 2012
• Darrius Barnes is the only active Revolution player who has appeared in all seven previous meetings between the two teams
• Matt Reis is 0-2-3 in five starts against Philadelphia and has recorded 23 saves against Philly in five meetings … Reis recorded his only career shutout against the Union when the teams last met on Sept. 1, 2012
• Bobby Shuttleworth has made two starts against Philly, going 0-2-0 with a 1.50 goals against average

REVOLUTION ACADEMY UPDATE

Seacoast games postponed
The Revolution Academy’s Under-18 and Under-16 teams’ games against Seacoast United, scheduled for Saturday in New Hampshire, were postponed because of weather conditions following last week’s three-day snow storm … the Revs’ youth teams return to action this Saturday, March 16, when they travel to South Central Premier …

Season to-date records
Following their most recent games, the Under-18s are 8-2-1 (25 pts.) overall and rank second in the Northeast Division of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy’s East Conference based on points per game … the Under-16s hold a 5-2-4 record (19 pts.) and are currently in fourth place in the division … the Under-14s are now 5-2-0 (15 pts.), which is good for fifth in U.S. Club Soccer’s Northeast Pre-Academy League based on points per game.

Summer Player Development Programs enrolling
The Revolution Academy’s Player Development Programs are now enrolling for summer sessions, with locations all over New England … the Revolution Academy trains players of all abilities in all aspect of the game, including ball mastery, speed of play, coordination and balance and movement with and without the ball … the objective of all the training programs is to replicate the speed, tempo and environment of the Revolution Youth Teams’ training sessions … through the age-appropriate player development sessions, we foster an atmosphere that is competitive, challenging, demanding and fun … encouragement and support from our professional coaching staff allows every player to gain a better understanding of – and continued passion for – the game … more information, including the full summer schedule, is available here.