FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Revolution returns home Saturday, April 12, to host the Houston Dynamo at Gillette Stadium. The match will be the second of three regular-season meetings between the two clubs this season. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. ET.

Comcast SportsNet will broadcast the game, while 98.5 The Sports Hub will broadcast the game on the radio.

The Revolution (1-3-1, 4 pts.) saw its modest two-game unbeaten streak end in Washington last Saturday with a 2-0 loss to D.C. United. Following this weekend’s Houston match, the Revs will travel to face the Chicago Fire on Saturday, April 19, in a match that will be televised nationally on NBC Sports Network.

Houston (2-2-0, 6 pts.) enters Saturday’s match following back-to-back losses after starting the season with two straight wins, including a 4-0 win over the Revs in the teams’ season opener at BBVA Compass Stadium on March 8.

TEAM NOTES

Homeward bound … finally
The Revs will make just their second home appearance of the season this weekend when they host Houston at Gillette Stadium … the Revolution has played four of their first five matches on the road, with only one match – March 22 against Vancouver – played in Foxborough … despite the road-heavy schedule to open the season, the Revs now move into a portion of the schedule that sees them play home then away for the next nine weeks heading into MLS’ World Cup break … … the Revs will not play consecutive road matches again until Wednesday, July 16 at LA Galaxy and Saturday, July 19 at FC Dallas, in a two-game road trip.

Early season rematch
Saturday’s match is the second of three regular-season meetings between New England and Houston this season … the Dynamo won the first meeting, a 4-0 win in the teams’ season opener on March 8 at BBVA Compass Stadium … the two teams close out the regular-season series on Oct. 16 at Houston in a match that will be broadcast on ESPN2 … the Revs and Dynamo split the 2012 regular-season series, with both teams posting even 1-1-1 records.

A little taste of the East
Including Saturday’s match with the Houston Dynamo, the Revs’ next four games all come against Eastern Conference opponents ... in 2013, the Revs posted a 12-7-6 record against the East, including a 6-3-4 mark at Gillette Stadium ... during the upcoming four-game stretch, the Revs will host the Dynamo and Sporting Kansas City (April 26) and then head to Chicago (April 19) and Toronto (May 3) … the Revs enter Saturday’s match with a 0-3-0 mark against Eastern teams this season.

Starting group stays the same
Last Saturday in D.C., head coach Jay Heaps put out the same starting XI in consecutive weeks for the first time this season … injuries forced the Revs’ head coach to make lineup changes through the first four weeks, but he was able to put the same starting group on the field against D.C. that earned the team’s first win against San Jose on March 29

Offense not shy
Despite scoring just two goals through the first five games of the 2014 season, the Revs have not been lacking in attempts to score a goal … through week 5 of the MLS season, the Revs are tied for sixth in shots taken (62) and have created at least 10 shots in three of their five games.

Cruel karma in D.C.


One week after benefitting from an own goal against San Jose, the Revs gave one back against D.C. last weekend … Jose Goncalves attempted to clear Cristian Fernandez’s cross, but his left-footed effort deflected into the goal and to put the Revs in a 1-0 hole just before half … before Goncalves’ own goal, the last own goal the Revs conceded also came against D.C., when Scott Caldwell redirected a cross in on Sept. 21, 2013, at Gillette Stadium.




Neumann makes Revs debut


Steve Neumann, the Revs first pick (fourth overall) in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft, made his MLS debut last Saturday against D.C. United … Neumann came on as second-half substitute for Daigo Kobayashi in the 84th minute in the team’s 2-0 loss and recorded one shot … Neumann made four appearances in preseason action during the Desert Diamond Cup for the Revs … the midfielder scored 41 goals and added 34 assists in 86 appearances (67 starts) at Georgetown University.




Back-to-back appearances for Davies


After not appearing in the team’s first three matches, Charlie Davies has made back-to-back appearances … Davies made his 2014 season debut at San Jose on March 29 in the Revs’ first win of the season, coming on as a second-half substitute … Davies then came on again in the second half at D.C. last weekend, marking the first time the Manchester, N.H., native has made consecutive appearances since Aug. 25 and 30, 2013.




Playing with some bite


Through week 5 of the MLS season the Revs have two players ranked in the top 10 in fouls committed … Lee Nguyen is currently tied for third with Sporting KC’s Benny Feilhaber in fouls committed with 12, while A.J. Soares is tied for fourth with 11 fouls … Nguyen finished fifth in fouls committed with 62 – and sixth in fouls suffered with 64 – in 2013.




Early ironmen contenders


Teal Bunbury, Bobby Shuttleworth and A.J. Soares are the Revs’ only three players that have played all 450 minutes this season … Bunbury has seen all of his time on the attack (both at forward and on the right wing) while recording 11 shots, with three on goal … Shuttleworth has started in goal in each of the team’s five games in goal, while Soares has been a staple at the center back position in each match.




Soffner makes Rochester debut


Luis Soffner, who was loaned to the Rochester Rhinos, the Revs’ USL PRO affiliate, on March 13, earned the start for the team’s season opener at Orlando City FC last Saturday, making four saves in a 3-1 loss ... Soffner is in his second season with the Revs and spent the entire 2013 season with the first team developing under goalkeeper coach Remi Roy and goalkeepers Matt Reis and Bobby Shuttleworth.




Portugal and Mexico set to meet at Gillette


Before the Mexican and Portuguese national teams make their way to Brazil for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, they’ll face off in an international friendly at
Gillette Stadium
… on June 6, Cristiano Ronaldo will lead Portugal against Javier Hernandez and Mexico in a final tune up before the World Cup … kickoff is set for 8:30 p.m., and tickets are on sale and start at $40.




July 12: New England’s Fitness Event of the Year


International fitness star Shaun T
– the creator of best-selling fitness programs INSANITY, Focus T25 and Hip Hop Abs – will make a special appearance at Gillette Stadium on Saturday, July 12, when he leads a live workout on the field before the New England Revolution hosts the Chicago Fire later in the evening … Special ticket packages start at $85 and are on sale now through revolutionsoccer.net/shaunt … packages include a spot in the live workout, a Q&A session with Shaun T after the workout, a meet & greet and group photo session with Shaun T, access to a reserved tailgate area between the workout and the Revs match, and a midfield seat for the Revolution match … special package options are available for fitness fans who want to be closer to Shaun T and work out in the first 10 rows.