FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Revolution comes off a bye week and returns home this Saturday, August 16, when the team hosts the Portland Timbers 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.
A limited number of Kelyn Rowe bobbleheads will be given away at the stadium’s entry gates prior to the game.
The Revolution (8-12-2, 26 pts.) is coming off its lone scheduled bye this season after splitting a pair of games in Week 21 of the schedule. On July 30, the Revs claimed a 3-0 win at Gillette Stadium over the Colorado Rapids, but fell on the road at the New York Red Bulls, 2-1, on August 2. New England is currently seventh in the Eastern Conference standings, one point out of fifth place.
Portland (7-7-9, 30 pts.) is 3-1-0 in its last four matches, with a 2-0 win over Chivas USA on August 9 their most recent result. The Timbers are currently tied for sixth in the Western Conference standings, two points back of the final playoff spot.
Saturday’s meeting is the only meeting between the teams this season, and the first since the clubs played to a 0-0 draw in Portland on May 2, 2013.
TEAM NOTES
Rowe Bobblehead Night on Saturday
Kelyn Rowe will be featured in the final of three Revolution bobbleheads released this season as his miniature likeness debuts this Saturday, August 16, when the Revs host the Portland Timbers ... a limited number of the Rowe bobbleheads will be distributed at the entry gates, so fans are encouraged to enter the stadium early ... earlier this season, team mascot Slyde and defender Andrew Farrell were also distributed.
Revs take over Newbury St. Ben & Jerry’s tomorrow
Two of the Revs’ stars – Kelyn Rowe and Teal Bunbury – will trade in their cleats for aprons and help fans cool off from the summer heat by scooping ice cream for charity tomorrow, Wednesday, August 13 … the Revs players will step behind the counter at Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Shop (174 Newbury St., Boston, Mass.) from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., to scoop customers’ orders … 50 percent of all sales during the Revs’ visit will be donated to Cradles to Crayons, which provides children up to the age of 12 living in homeless or low-income situations with the essential items they need to thrive … fans can also donate school supplies to Cradles to Crayons at Ben & Jerry’s during the event.
2015 Season Tickets now on sale
2015 New England Revolution season tickets will go on sale Saturday to the general public ... current season ticket holders will have the opportunity to begin renewing their season tickets two days earlier, beginning Thursday ... 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.
Against Portland
Saturday’s meeting with be the fifth all-time between the two clubs … the teams are tied, 1-1-2, in the four previous meetings … New England is 1-0-1 against Portland at Gillette Stadium, but winless (0-1-2) in Portland … this will be the only meeting between the teams this season, and the third year in a row the teams meet just once.
Home cooking for a month
The Revolution will play five of its next six matches at Gillette Stadium between Saturday and Sept. 13 … the Revs will host Portland (Aug. 16), Chivas USA (Aug. 23), Kansas City (Sept. 3), Chicago (Sept. 7) and Montreal (Sept. 13) in that stretch, with only a quick trip to Toronto (Aug. 30) on tap ... while the Revs started the season 4-0-1 at home and didn’t allow a goal at Gillette Stadium until May 24, the team lost its next four home games, scoring only two goals in those four matches, before earning a 3-0 win against Colorado in its last home match on July 30.
11 weeks, 12 games
Major League Soccer has 11 weeks left in the schedule, and the Revolution has 12 games remaining – roughly one-third of the season … after playing 10 games overall in 39 days from June 25 to Aug. 2, the Revolution will now spread its remaining 12 games out over the next 11 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.
Akpan added, Sene sent to New York
The Revs added forward Andre Akpan – in addition to allocation money – through a trade with the New York on Tuesday, sending Saer Sene and an international roster spot through the end of the 2014 season to the Red Bulls ... Akpan, 26, is in his fifth professional season after he was drafted by the Colorado Rapids out of Harvard in 2010 ... he has 41 career appearances, including 10 starts, while scoring four goals and adding two assists.
Davies does it
Charlie Davies has factored in goals in the Revs’ last two games – his first points since returning to MLS in August 2013 … Davies got on the stats sheet first on Wednesday, July 30, when he picked up an assist on Lee Nguyen’s first goal against Colorado … in the team’s following 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 for D.C. United … on the season, Davies has made six appearances with three starts, two coming in the last two matches.
Rowe picking up steam
Kelyn Rowe has returned to the starting line-up and has been active in the attack since re-joining the starting group … he has recorded one goal and one assist in the last three games … he picked up an assist against Columbus on July 26, and finally got on the scoreboard for the first time in 2014 on July 30 with a goal against Colorado … Rowe has missed seven games with hamstring injuries this season, limiting his time on the field.
Record mark for Bunbury
Teal Bunbury’s assist on Charlie Davies’ goal at New York was his team-leading fourth assist of the season … not only is he now leading the club in assists, but Bunbury has set a new single-season best for assists … his previous best was three assists in 29 games in 2011 with Kansas City.
“Nguyenning” = Winning
The Revolution is 5-1-1 this season when Lee Nguyen scores a goal … the team’s only loss came on July 16 in the 5-1 loss at LA … in the team’s most recent win – July 30 vs. Colorado – he played a key part in all three of the Revolution’s goals, scoring twice and assisting on the team’s third goal by Kelyn Rowe ... Nguyen’s two goals matched his previous single-game best, and the two-goal game was his first since May 12, 2012, when he scored twice (and added an assist) against Vancouver ... Nguyen now has a team-high eight goals this season, a new single-season best for the 27-year old.
Fagundez spends time with Uruguay U20s
Diego Fagundez spent the majority of the Revs’ bye week last week in Peru with the Uruguay Under-20 team … the U20s played a pair of friendlies against the Peru U20s, going 0-1-1 in the matches … on Aug. 4, Fagundez came on as a second-half sub in the 1-0 loss as Uruguay played all but 15 minutes down a man … on Aug. 6, Fagundez played 90 minutes in the 1-1 draw … it was his second call-up by the Uruguay U20s, following a stint in their camp in October 2012.
Alston to Make Improv Debut
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 on 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.
