Union at Revolution
7:30 p.m. on TCN
The concerning slide continued for the Union (8-8-7) in a disjointed 2-2 draw with D.C. United last week. But despite the troublesome run, optimism is high for the Union, who are now loaded with new signee Alejandro Bedoya as they take on Kei Kamara and the New England Revolution (6-9-8) on Saturday at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusets.
Here are five things to know for the matchup:
1. Bedoya debut
He was their prized addition at the transfer deadline on Aug. 3, and now the Union will get to see Bedoya in action. The midfielder is expected to make his club debut on Saturday.
“He’ll be a part of the group, that’s for sure,” Union manager Jim Curtin said this week. “We’re not going to ease him into it. He’s in good shape, he’s a fit guy, he takes care of his body very well.”
Although the excitement is palpable, the concern is still present that Bedoya hasn’t had enough time to gel with his teammates, which could make for a rocky start against the Revs.
“He’s getting to know the team,” Curtin said. “He connects very well with our group, him and [midfielder Tranquillo] Barnetta complement each other very well, they’re comfortable on the ball. It’s still going to be a process getting acclimated to the group, but he’s picking up things very fast and brings a real presence to our locker room and on the field.”
Philadelphia Union
2. Missing Carroll
While the Union gain Bedoya in the midfield on Saturday, they lose Brian Carroll, who suffered a foot injury and had to leave the match against United. The prognosis is plantar fasciitis, which will keep the defensive mid out three to six weeks.
“I felt better Thursday, Friday and then on gameday,” said Carroll, who admitted to be suffering with the condition all season. “Hard field, hard day and it just went. I exploded to win a ball and my foot just kind of fell out from under me. It was a small tear in the heel part of my fascia.”
Though Carroll isn’t a flashy player, he’s been very good as the club’s No. 6, starting in 20 of 21 games this season. Warren Creavalle will line up in his place.
“I've had it before,” Carroll said. “I played through it and eventually it went away. It's just a matter of swelling and the pain going away, then I can start working out again. When that feels good, I can start helping out the group again.”
3. Revs running out of time
With 26 points on the season, the Revs are looking at Saturday as an opportunity. They are hanging onto the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference, one slot behind the Union, who have 31 points.
“They are a good team,” Revs coach Jay Heaps said. “They are ahead of us in the standings and a team we need to be eyeing as we head into the playoff hunt.”
But things haven’t been going well for Heaps’ club. The Revs followed back-to-back wins on May 28 and June 18 with a 2-5-1 run, making Saturday a match of utmost importance.
“We have to use it as a platform to boost ourselves,” Heaps said. “We’re in a fight for the playoffs and that starts now. Every game we play at home is that much more important. We need to put [wins] together.”
4. Keep an eye on ...
Union: Former Revs forward Charlie Davies is facing his old team less than two weeks since being traded to the Union. But for Davies, the match is more about building chemistry than sticking it to his former club. “Just continuing to try and make an impact,” he said. “The team is starting to get used the way I play, the way I make my runs. And I’m getting used to the way they possess the ball. There’s a lot of good things to come.”
Revolution: Though he has only four goals in 12 games this season, Kamara is a terror when he’s on. The forward has eight goals and two assists in nine games against the Union in his career.
5. This and that
• Although the Revs are 2-5-1 in their last eight, the Union aren’t much better. Curtin’s team is 2-4-2 over the same span.
• With the addition of Davies and Bedoya, Heaps admitted he wasn’t positive how to plan for the new-look Union. “They have new guys coming into the group so it’ll be hard to determine what they will do,” Heaps said. “So it’s about us and putting the game on our terms.”
• While Kamara is always dangerous, the Union should be wary of midfielder Lee Nguyen, who leads the Revs with five goals and seven assists.
• The Union are 8-5-4 against the Revs all-time. Their last win came on March 20 at Talen Energy Stadium, a 3-0 decision.
