New England Revolution vs. Toronto FC | 2018 MLS Match Preview

New England Revolution vs. Toronto FC
2018 MLS Regular Season – Week 11
Gillette Stadium — Foxborough
May 12 - 7:30 pm ET
WATCH: TSN, ESPN+

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The New England Revolution return to the friendly confines of Gillette Stadium where they hope to stretch a home unbeaten streak against Toronto FC to seven matches (4W-2D) following a 4-2 loss in Montreal on Saturday, while the Reds head to Foxborough after dropping a 2-1 decision to Seattle Sounders FC on Wednesday night.

The teams met three times a season ago, each winning on their home ground. The Revolution won twice, both at Gillette Stadium – 3-0 on June 3, and 2-1 on Sept. 23. TFC claimed the lone meeting at BMO Field, 2-0 on June 23.

• TFC's Vanney on Seattle's winner: "It's offside"
• How Bradley's gamble cost TFC a goal vs. Seattle
• Player Profile: Bunbury "in a good place" leading Revs' line
• Revs hope Agudelo’s hamstring injury “not too serious”
• Rowe: “I’ve still got a lot to do” after returning from injury

New England Revolution

Brad Friedel went with an unchanged starting XI from the side that defeated Sporting Kansas City, 1-0, at home the previous week, only altering the shape with a 4-4-1-1 formation.

Ignacio Piatti set up Anthony Jackson-Hamel’s brace and a goal by Raheem Edwards before scoring in the 68th minute to extend Montreal’s lead to four goals. Wilfried Zahibo scored a pair of late goals, and has now scored all three of his goals this season against the Impact, but it was too little, too late, as New England (4-3-2) fell, 4-2.

“Coach harps on not losing two games in a row, especially not losing games at home so it’s going to be a big test,” forward Teal Bunbury said. “Toronto’s a great team, an Eastern Conference team and these games mean a lot. Getting three points at home is our mindset every game and I think we’re going to be up for the challenge.”

• Suspended: None
• Suspended after next caution: M - Diego Fagundez
• International duty: None
• Injury Report: OUT: M - Isaac Angking (illness); QUESTIONABLE: F - Juan Agudelo (hamstring)

Projected Starting XI
(4-1-4-1, right to left)
GK: Matt Turner — Andrew Farrell, Jalil Anibaba, Claude Dielna, Gabriel Somi — Wilfried Zahibo — Luis Caicedo, Scott Caldwell, Diego Fagundez, Cristian Penilla — Teal Bunbury

• Notes: Diego Fagundez has already created 33 chances in nine appearances for the Revolution this season. His career-high in MLS is 36, set last season in 32 appearances. … The Revs have won 10 of their last 13 home games (1L-2D). New England have conceded multiple goals just two times and kept seven clean sheets over this span.

Toronto FC

Greg Vanney made one change to the starting XI from the side that defeated the Philadelphia Union, 3-0, last Friday, bringing on Jay Chapman for Nicolas Hasler, who joined the walking wounded, on the right wing.

Jonathan Osorio scored a 40th-minute equalizer, but Handwalla Bwana netted what proved to be the winner in the 54th minute as Toronto FC (2-5-1) lost at home for the second time this season and fell for the third time in the last five games.

“What’s important for me in this stretch is that we start to get guys back without losing guys on the other end so that at some point through this we can start to look at a whole team and have a full selection,” Vanney said on Thursday. “It’s kind of the game and the challenge we’re playing right now.”

• Suspended: None
• Suspended after next caution: None
• International duty: None
• Injury Report: OUT: D - Nick Hagglund (hamstring strain), D - Drew Moor (quadricep strain), F - Jozy Altidore (foot surgery); QUESTIONABLE: D - Chris Mavinga (sore hamstring), D - Justin Morrow (calf strain), D - Eriq Zavaleta (quadriceps strain), M - Nicolas Hasler (right quad strain), M - Victor Vazquez (knee)

Projected Starting XI
(4-1-4-1, right to left)
GK: Clint Irwin — Auro, Gregory van der Wiel, Michael Bradley, Ashtone Morgan — Marky Delgado — Jay Chapman, Ager Aketxe, Ryan Telfer, Jonathan Osorio — Sebastian Giovinco

• Notes: Sebastian Giovinco is attempting 7.0 shots per game this season, 1.7 more than any other MLS player. However, he has just one goal to show for it. … Toronto FC have lost all three of their road games this season, scoring just one goal. They lost three road matches in the 2017 regular season.

All-Time Series

• Overall: New England Revolution 12 wins, 45 goals … Toronto FC 6 wins, 29 goals … 9 ties
• At New England: Revolution 9 wins, 27 goals … Toronto FC 2 wins, 9 goals … 4 ties
• Last meeting at New England: New England Revolution 2, Toronto FC 1 (Sept. 23, 2017)

Officials

Referee: Mark Geiger
Assistant Referees: Frank Anderson, Danny Thornberry
4th Official: David Barrie
VAR: Luis Guardia