Orlando City (10-7-8, 38 pts) ships up to Boston this Saturday night for a marquee match against the current Supporters’ Shield leaders, New England Revolution (17-4-5, 56 pts). The game, presented by Exploria Resorts, is set to kick off at 7:00 p.m. ET and will be televised locally at 6:30 p.m. on FOX35 PLUS, with live streaming available on LionNation TV. Radio coverage will be available from 6:30 p.m. ET on FM 96.9 the Game in English and Acción 97.9 FM and 810 AM in Spanish.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Revs:
Key Transactions and Player News
Key Additions - LW Arnór Traustason (Malmö FF), CM Maciel (New England Revolution II), CM Wilfrid Kaptoum (Real Betis), LB Christian Mafla (Atletico Nacional), CB Jon Bell (New England Revolution II), RB A.J. DeLaGarza (Inter Miami), F Emmanuel Boateng (Columbus Crew)
Key Departures - LW Cristian Penilla (Deportivo Cuenca), CM Diego Fagúndez (Austin FC), CB Antonio Delamea (Olimpija Ljubljana), CM Kelyn Rowe (Seattle Sounders), CB Michael Mancienne (Burton Albion), RW Kekuta Manneh (Austin FC), AM Lee Nguyen (Ho Chi Minh City)
Player News - Canadian national team winger Tajon Buchanan has made headlines for both club and country throughout 2021, standing out at the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup and providing seven goals and four assists for the Revs. Buchanan’s stellar form earned him a reported $7 million move to Club Brugge, one of the top teams in Belgium who most recently earned a 1-1 draw against Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League. Buchanan will join up with Brugge at the end of the MLS season.
Take a look at New England’s full roster here.
Team Form
No team has been better than New England this season, with the Revs opening up a 10-point gap on the Seattle Sounders for the Supporters’ Shield lead. New England has won six of its last eight games, though most recently they were stonewalled at home by the Columbus Crew, drawing 1-1 despite outshooting their opponents 33-6.
Head-to-Head
Orlando City will be out for a measure of revenge this weekend; New England was the team that knocked the Lions out of the Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs, winning 3-1 at Exploria Stadium in last year’s Eastern Conference semifinals. Orlando is 3-5-5 all-time against the Revs in all competitions and has never won at Gillette Stadium in five tries.
Rasmussen University Fact
Orlando City has earned a result against the Supporters’ Shield winners in each of the past three seasons. The Lions beat the New York Red Bulls 4-3 in March 2018, drew LAFC 2-2 in September 2019 and drew Philadelphia Union 1-1 at the MLS is Back Tournament in July 2020.
