FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The Eastern Conference-leading New England Revolution return to action on Sunday, June 8, when the team hosts the New York Red Bulls at Gillette Stadium. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. Comcast SportsNet will televise the game, while 98.5 The Sports Hub will have the call on the radio.

The Revolution (7-4-2, 23 pts.) saw its seven-game unbeaten streak snapped last Saturday behind a 2-0 loss on the road to the Montreal Impact. The match marked the first time since April 5 that the team suffered a defeat.

New York (3-5-6, 15 pts.) is coming off a bye weekend following a 1-1 draw at Kansas City on Tuesday, May 27. Sunday’s match will be the first of two meetings this year between the I-95 rivals, with the return leg at Red Bull Arena set for Aug. 2.

Sunday’s game is the Revolution’s final match before MLS takes a two-week break during the group stage of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The Revolution will next return to league action on Saturday, June 28, when the team hosts the Philadelphia Union at Gillette Stadium in a 7:30 p.m. match.

On Wednesday, June 18, the Revs enter play in the 2014 U.S. Open Cup when they travel to face the Richmond Kickers (USL PRO) in the fourth round of the tournament.

TEAM NOTES

Fagundez nominated for MLS player of the month
Revolution midfielder Diego Fagundez is one of five nominees for MLS Etihad Airways player of the month for May … in helping the Revs go 4-1-0 and surge into first place in the Eastern Conference Fagundez scored four goals and added two assists … he is now second on the team in goals and tied for first in assists. | VOTE FOR FAGUNDEZ HERE

Charitable Drive series gets underway Sunday
The Revolution’s first collection in the 2014 Charitable Drive series is set for Sunday when Revs fans are asked to donate pet supplies at the team’s 5 p.m. match against the New York Red Bulls at Gillette Stadium … donations will benefit MSPCA-Angell, and fans who make a donation on Sunday will receive an autographed Revolution player card … collection bins will be set up near the Gillette Stadium ProShop in NRG Plaza, as well as the Bank of America Plaza … more info on this Sunday’s Charitable Drive can be found here.

Supporters to hold Pride Night on Sunday
The Revolution’s two official supporters groups – the Midnight Riders and the Rebellion – are teaming up to host Pride Night at Gillette Stadium when the Revs welcome the New York Red Bulls on Sunday… the groups will host a tailgate open to all fans in lot 4c – the Supporter’s lot – before the game …mini-flags will be sold with all proceeds being donated to GLAD (Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders, while Pride stickers will also be given out at the tailgate … the groups will also march in the Boston Pride Parade on Saturday, June 14, and will meet up at Kinsale Irish Pub (2 Center Plaza, Boston, Mass) for a World Cup watch party.

Last test before the World Cup break …
The Revolution hosts the New York Red Bulls this Sunday, June 8, in the final regular-season test before MLS takes a two-week break for the group stage of the 2014 FIFA World Cup … Sunday is the first of two meetings between the clubs this season … the Revs head to Red Bull Arena on Aug. 2, to close out the regular-season series … the Revs were winless against the Red Bulls in 2013, posting an 0-1-2 record … the Revs’ last win over New York came on July 8, 2012.

… and looking to make one streak live on
While the Revolution saw their seven-game unbeaten and five-game winning streak snapped at Montreal last Saturday, the Revs will have a chance to extend another – much longer – streak on Sunday against New York … the Revolution has not lost a regular-season game at Gillette Stadium against New York since the 2002 season … since Sept. 21, 2002, the Revs have gone 11-0-6 in regular-season matches played in Foxborough …the Revs’ last home loss to New York – then the MetroStars – was on June 29, 2002, a 2-0 defeat.

First in the East, fourth overall in MLS
This is the fifth straight week in which the Revs sit atop the Eastern Conference … the Revs’ 23 points are two ahead of second place D.C.’s 21 points … additionally, the Revs’ .615 winning percentage is fourth-best in MLS, behind three Western teams: Seattle (.714, 9-3-2), Salt Lake (.692, 6-1-6) and Vancouver (.625, 5-2-4) … New England, Seattle, Salt Lake and Vancouver are the only four teams in MLS with winning percentages above .600 so far this season.

Back line faces tough test
The Revs defense, currently ranked sixth in MLS with a team goals against average of 1.23, will face one of its toughest tests of the season on Sunday when New York’s Bradley Wright-Phillips visits Gillette Stadium … Wright-Phillips is the league’s current MLS Golden Boot leader with 11 goals in 13 games … he is one of two players who has already eclipsed the double-digit goal mark so far this season, joining Kansas City’s Dom Dwyer (10 goals, 14 games).

Balance is the name of the game
Entering Week 13 of the 2014 MLS season, the Revs are one of the most balanced teams in the league … the Revs rank sixth in goals scored and are sixth in goals against average, the only team in the top six in scoring to also rank in the top six in team defense.

Unbeaten home record at stake …
Entering Sunday’s match against New York, the Revs are one of only two remaining teams with an unbeaten record at home this season … the team’s .900 home winning percentage (4-0-1) is tops in the league, while Real Salt Lake – 3-0-3 at home (.750 winning percentage) – is also undefeated at home … through five matches at Gillette Stadium, the Revs have also only allowed one goal:

… and undefeated streak on the line
Although the Revs had their season-opening home shutout streak snapped in their last home match – against D.C. United on May 24 – the Revs still earned the victory … that win kept this year’s home undefeated streak alive (4-0-1), and extended its home unbeaten run to eight matches (6-0-2) overall, dating back to Sept. 21, 2013.

Digging into the streak
While the Revolution saw its seven-game unbeaten streak snapped on Saturday, the team is still MLS’ hottest since the end of 2013  … including the six weeks of the 2013 MLS season – when the Revs closed out the year going 4-0-2 – the Revolution has been MLS’ hottest team with the most wins and the highest winning percentage:

Rowe hits 50 starts in return
After missing six weeks with a hamstring injury then coming on as a substitute in the last three matches, Kelyn Rowe returned to the starting lineup for the first time since March 22 when he lined up in the central midfield on Saturday at Montreal … Rowe’s return to the starting XI on Saturday was his 50th career start … all 50 of his starts and 69 appearances have come as a member of the Revolution … the third-year midfielder has scored 10 goals and recorded 13 assists in three seasons.

Soares up for save of the week
A.J. Soares is up for MLS save of the week for his sliding stop on Montreal’s Marco Di Vaio last Saturday in the team’s 2-0 loss … with his team already trailing 2-0 late in the first half, Soares tracked back after Di Vaio beat the Revs’ offside trap and streaked toward goal one-on-one with Bobby Shuttleworth … after Shuttleworth forced the Impact forward to take a wide touch, Soares got goal-side of Di Vaio and lunged to make a right-leg save.

Open Cup action coming soon
Although MLS is taking two weeks off during the group stage of the World Cup, it doesn’t mean the Revolution will be out of action … MLS teams begin play in the 2014 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in mid-June when all U.S.-based teams enter in the fourth round … the Revs will enter the draw when the team travels to face the Richmond Kickers (USL PRO) on Wednesday, June 18 … kickoff at Richmond’s City Stadium is set for 7 p.m.  … the winner of the June 18 Revolution-Richmond match will advance to the fifth round of the U.S. Open Cup, which will be played in the final week of June … last season, the Revs fell to D.C. United in the quarterfinals … the club won the championship in 2007, the team’s first-ever cup tournament title, when they defeated FC Dallas, 3-2, in Frisco, Texas.

Diego set to walk … across the stage and get his diploma
Revolution Homegrown star Diego Fagundez is set to receive his high-school diploma from Fitchburg, Massachusetts’ Goodrich Academy this Thursday evening in a ceremony at Fitchburg High School … Fagundez attended regular classes at Leominster High School as a freshman and completed his sophomore year through personal tutoring and online classes … he transferred to Goodrich Academy (formerly the Fitchburg Alternative High School) in the fall of 2012 to complete his junior and senior year studies simultaneously through evening classes and independent study.

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 … this Friday, 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.