The New England Revolution will see a different D.C. United team Wednesday in Washington than the one they shut out earlier this year.
When D.C. United lost to the Revolution 1-0 on April 11, it was their third of four straight MLS matches without a goal, and they fell to 2-4-1.
Since then, however, D.C. (5-5-9, 24 points) has collected at least a point in 11 of 12 matches as it clings to the final rung on the Eastern Conference playoff ladder.
Another difference four months later is that D.C.’s top scorer Tai Baribo (12 goals) is healthy. Baribo, who missed the first New England game with an injury, has scored in five straight matches.
Meanwhile, New England (9-7-3, 30 points) also has undergone a transformation, though in the opposite direction. The Revs have won just one of their last six matches, despite being outscored over that span by just 8-7.
Saturday on the road against Toronto FC, New England lost 2-1 despite amassing a 24-3 advantage in shots and a 9-0 edge in corner kicks. The problem for the Revs: They put only six of their 24 attempts on frame.
New England keeper Matt Turner, who notched one of his four clean sheets against D.C., isn’t alarmed by the Revs’ slide.
“We’re gonna keep doing what we’re doing. It’s working. We’re getting into good positions on the field,” Turner said. “But in the end, the only thing that matters, when the final whistle goes, is the final score.”
At the other end of the field, New England looks to Carles Gil (seven goals, six assists) and Dor Turgeman (four goals, four assists) for scoring punch and Luca Langoni (three goals, six assists), to fuel the Revs’ ability to convert set pieces.
In addition to Baribo, D.C. United will counter with Louis Munteanu (five goals) and defender Lucas Bartlett (two goals), who returns after serving a one-game suspension in D.C.’s 1-1 standoff at CF Montreal on Saturday.
With the absence of Bartlett, D.C. got a lift from newly acquired defender Kimito Nono, who assisted on the lone D.C. goal in his MLS debut.
“You can see right away the quality he brings to our club,” D.C. goalkeeper coach Cody Mizell said. “I’m excited to have him on our roster. The more he works with this group of players, I think the better and better he’s going to get and will really help us moving forward.”
–Field Level Media
