FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Revolution looks to extend its home unbeaten streak to three games this weekend when they host Chivas USA on Saturday, August 23, at Gillette Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m., with Comcast SportsNet televising the game and 98.5 The Sports Hub carrying the game on the radio.
The Revolution (8-12-3, 27 pts.) is coming off a 1-1 draw with the Portland Timbers last weekend and currently sit in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, one point behind the New York Red Bulls for the fifth and final playoff berth in the East. Charlie Davies scored New England’s lone goal on Saturday against the Timbers, giving him a goal or an assist in each of his last three games.
Chivas USA (6-11-6, 24 pts.) head east in the midst of a five-game winless streak that has seen them take just one of a possible 15 points in that time. Head coach Wilmer Cabrera’s club had won four straight before starting the current winless streak, which leaves his club tied for last place in the Western Conference, nine points out of a playoff spot.
Saturday’s match is the only meeting between of the year between the two sides, and the first since New England scored late to earn a 1-1 draw away to Chivas USA at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., on June 29, 2013.
TEAM NOTES
Charity Drive Series: School Supplies
Fans coming to Saturday’s game are encouraged to bring new school supplies and donate them at the stadium’s NRG and Bank of America gates between 5:30 and 7:45 p.m. … all donations will benefit Cradles to Crayons, which provides children up to the age of 12 – living in homeless or low-income situations – with essential items they need to thrive … fans who donate school supplies will receive an autographed player card … notebooks, folders, pencils, pens, binders and other school supplies are all in need.
Revolution Academy Night
Saturday marks Revolution Academy graduation night at Gillette Stadium … more than 1,600 area soccer players – boys and girls, ages 7-18 – participated in the Academy’s player development programs this season … players who attend Saturday’s game will be part of a pregame procession on the field … the player development programs are a key part of the Revolution’s youth development pyramid as 31 of the 41 players on the club’s Under-14 and Under-16 teams this year are products of the Academy’s Regional Development School (RDS) program, the organization’s elite training program.
Attendance Rising Ahead of League Pace
So far this season, the Revolution’s attendance is pacing far ahead of 2013’s attendance through 11 games with the club raising its attendance by 12.5 percent … the Revs average 15,243 fans at Gillette Stadium this year – ahead of the club’s average of 13,544 through 11 games in 2013 … this season, the Revs can claim MLS’ fourth-highest attendance growth rate so far this season, behind San Jose (20.9%, which includes a match at Levi’s Stadium), D.C. United (19.4%) and Toronto FC (15.3%) through the same number of home games a year ago.
Alston to Make Improv Debut Wednesday
Kevin Alston has had a turbulent year after being diagnosed with leukemia, so it’s no wonder he wanted to inject some comedy into his life ... for the last few months, Alston has been taking improvisational comedy classes at Boston’s famed Improv Asylum (216 Hanover St., Boston, Mass.), and he is set to make his main stage debut tomorrow – Wednesday, August 20 – when Improv Asylum hosts Revolution Night ... tickets are $20 and a portion of all tickets sold will benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society ... in April 2013, Alston was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), a rare but treatable form of leukemia … while CML does not yet have a cure, Alston has managed his health and has returned to the field ... while the show is set to start at 8 p.m., doors will open at 7 p.m. when fans are invited to mix and mingle with fellow fans and receive Revolution giveaways.
Celebrity Bartending on Tap Thursday at Clerys
The Revs’ Celebrity Bartending series returns Thursday from 7 to 8:30 p.m., when Kevin Alston, Andrew Farrell, Lee Nguyen and Bobby Shuttleworth step off of the pitch and behind the bar at Clerys Boston (113 Dartmouth St., Boston, Mass., 02116) to showcase their cocktail-shaking skills for charity … additionally, Revolution legend and current ESPN soccer analyst Taylor Twellman and Dalen Cuff, Comcast SportsNet anchor and host of “State of the Revs,” are scheduled to attend the event and help out behind the bar … all of their tips during the event – cash or credit – will be donated to ThinkTaylor (thinktaylor.org), a non-profit founded by Twellman to create social change in the world of traumatic brain injuries by generating increased awareness, recognition and education.
Against Chivas USA
Saturday’s meeting with be the 17th all-time between the two clubs … Chivas USA leads the series, 7-5-4, and is unbeaten in its last seven games against New England, going 5-0-2 in that time … New England is 4-2-2 against Chivas USA at Gillette Stadium, but has only recorded one win on the road against them (1-5-2) … this will be the only meeting between the teams this season, and the third year in a row that they meet just once.
Revs Add Taylor in Weighted Lottery
The Revolution acquired former U.S. Under-20 and Under-23 National Team forward Tony Taylor on Monday via a weighted lottery ... the Revs entered the lottery along with Portland and had a 71.4 percent chance of winning the draw ... Taylor, 25, enters MLS having played the last four years in Europe with G.D. Estoril Praia (Portugal), Atletico Clube Portugal (Portugal) and, most recently, Omonia Nikosia (Cyprus) ... he has 80 career club appearances in all competitions, scoring 15 goals ... a member of the U.S. U-20 team at the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt, he appeared 11 times for the U.S. U-20s, scoring two goals and adding four assists.
Davies Does It Again
The Revolution are 1-1-1 in their last three games and Charlie Davies has factored in a goal in each of those three contests … Davies got on the stat sheet first on Wednesday, July 30, when he picked up an assist on Lee Nguyen’s first goal against Colorado … it was Davies’ first assist in a Revolution uniform and first in MLS since May 4, 2011 when he played for D.C. United ... in the team’s next game at New York on August 2, Davies scored his first goal for the Revs – and his first goal for club or country since Sept. 10, 2011 – when he had a hat trick against Chivas USA for D.C. United … Davies recorded his second goal of the season in the Revs’ last match – against Portland on last Saturday – giving the Revs a 1-0 lead in the 27th minute ... on the season, Davies has made seven appearances with four starts ... he has started each of the Revs’ last three games, playing a season-high 75 minutes last weekend against the Timbers.
Shuttleworth Nominated for Save of the Week
Bobby Shuttleworth has been nominated for the MLS Save of the Week for his 82nd minute save on Portland’s Maxi Urruti last weekend … with the score tied at 1-1, Shuttleworth quickly got his hands low to save Urruti’s goal-bound shot from 10 yards out, helping the Revs earn a share of the points … this is the third time this season that Shuttleworth – who moved into a tie for the second most regular season appearance by a Revolution goalkeeper last Saturda,y playing his 64th game for the club – had been nominated for the award … vote for Shuttleworth for the Save of the Week and see all of the nominee’s for the award HERE
Heavy Home Schedule Continues
The Revolution will play four of its next five matches at Gillette Stadium between Saturday’s match against Chivas USA and Sept. 13, when they host the Montreal Impact … the Revs will also host Sporting Kansas City (Sept. 3) and Chicago Fire (Sept. 7) in that stretch, with only a quick trip north to face Toronto FC (Aug. 30) interrupting the run of home matches ... New England began this current home stand with a 1-1 draw with Portland last weekend … after opening the season 4-0-1 at home and allowing just one goal in that time, the Revs lost their next four home games, scoring only two goals in those four matches... the Revs snapped the losing streak with a 3-0 win over Colorado on July 30 and the Revs are now unbeaten in their last two home games, including the 1-1 draw with Portland last Saturday.
Ten Weeks to Go
Major League Soccer has 10 weeks left in the schedule, and the Revolution has 11 games remaining in that span … after playing 10 games in all competitions in 39 days from June 25 to Aug. 2, the Revolution will now spread its remaining 11 games out over the next 10 weeks with only one multiple-game week: Week 26 when the team will host Kansas City on Wednesday, Sept. 3, and Chicago on Sunday, Sept. 7 … Saturday’s game against Chivas USA is New England’s final game of the season against Western Conference opposition, having gone 3-3-2 in the first eight games against the West, including a 2-0-2 mark at home.
2015 Season Tickets Now on Sale
New England Revolution season tickets for the 2015 season are on sale now ... all 2015 packages, which start at $315 for lower bowl seating, allow extraordinary access to the Revolution at Gillette Stadium ... the 18-game season ticket package includes a host of amenities and special access events with the team ... also available will be the recently-announced 2015 Fort Season Ticket Package, which includes a ticket to the Revs’ match against the New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena and round-trip bus transportation to the event, as well as all the other regular season-ticket amenities for just $243 ... for more information about – or pricing for – Putnam Club season tickets, President’s Club memberships, The Fort season ticket package, supporters season tickets or college season tickets – call 1-877-GET-REVS. Season tickets can be ordered the Revolution website: www.revolutionsoccer.net/tickets.
