Revs face tough road test at D.C. United
Midfielder Matt Polster anticipates a playoff atmosphere when the New England Revolution visit D.C. United tonight.
The Revolution (20-4-6) have the best road record in MLS at 9-3-3 while D.C. United (12-12-6) is a stellar 10-3-1 at home, the secondbest mark in the league. Only two teams in MLS history have won 10 road games in a season and the Revs have two remaining.
The Revolution have already captured the Eastern Conference crown and are on solid ground to capture the team’s first Supporter’s Shield signifying the best regular-season mark. D.C.
United is sixth in the East; there is a strong possibility these teams will meet again in the divisional round of the MLS playoffs.
“They have done really well at home and we expect this to be a battle,” said Polster. “Obviously they are fighting for three points and so are we, so it is going to be a very playoff-like environment.
“I think it will come down to individual moments of potentially dealing with things defensively and trying to prevent them from gaining confidence and then imposing ourselves. We are very good on attack and we can counter really well and we have guys that can break out quickly and score goals.” Revolution head coach and sporting director Bruce Arena has routinely rotated his players over the course of the season, never placing the same personnel grouping on the pitch in consecutive games. But Polster has become a fixture in the Revolution’s starting lineup in his second season with the club.
Polster, who will be making his 125th MLS appearance, has started 24 of 29 games and logged 2,054 minutes on the pitch. Polster is one of five Revolution players to have 24 or more starts and over 2,000 minutes.
“He has obviously played well and he’s an experienced player now in that position after being here now for a full year,” said Arena. “We have had some injuries in that spot as well, but Matt has done well and he deserves to be on the field.”
The Revolution came back from a 16-day layoff during the FIFA World Cup qualifiers with a 2-2 draw with the Chicago Fire last Saturday at Gillette Stadium. The Revolution have 66 points and are within striking distance of the MLS record of 72 with four games left on their slate.
The Revolution are 31-3415 all time against D.C. United, but have fared better against their longtime nemesis on Arena’s watch. The Revolution have won five straight against D.C. United and are 5-0-3 in the last eight games.