Carles Gil scored in the 87th minute as the New England Revolution overcame an own goal to remain perfect at home with a 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Union on Saturday night in Foxborough, Mass.
Luca Langoni also scored in the second half for the Revolution (7-3-1, 22 points) who have won their first six home games for the first time in club history.
New England, which has not reached the MLS playoffs in the last two seasons, also is unbeaten in its last seven matches, with six wins.
First-year coach Marko Mitrovic now has the best start ever for a new coach in the 30-year history of the Revs.
It was another tough loss for Philadelphia (1-8-3, 6 points), the Supporter’s Shield winner last year for the best record in the MLS, now buried in last place in the Eastern Conference. The Union opened the season with a club-record six straight losses.
Both teams put just two shots on goal each. Revolution goalkeeper Matt Turner had the game’s lone save.
New England’s win came against its nemesis. Philadelphia had dominated New England, winning the last four meetings, outscoring the Revs 11-1.
In an uneventful first half there were no shots on goal, but the Union took the lead in the 37th minute on a play started by Olivier Mbaizo with a long ball over the top of the Revs defense.
New England defender Will Sands beat Philadelphia striker Milan Iloski to the ball at the top of the box but inadvertently kicked the ball just inside the right post past Turner.
In the 61st minute, the Revs got the equalizer. Langoni started the sequence with a corner kick and the ball was headed out of the box
Gil gathered the ball and slipped a pass to Langoni, who drove to his right and fired a curling shot from outside the left side of the box just inside the far post for his second goal of the season and a 1-1 tie.
The game-winner came on a transition play with Dor Turgeman slipping a pass in the middle of the box to Gil, who fired a left-footed shot into the left side of the goal for his fourth goal of the season and first in 17 matches against the Union.
–Field Level Media
