Minnesota United Faces Tough Challenge Against New England Revolution

Minnesota United has experienced some offensive struggles in recent matches, but the New England Revolution may find it difficult to contain the Loons when they meet Saturday evening in Foxborough, Mass.

“A very challenging team. They have their uniqueness,” New England coach Marko Mitrovic said of Minnesota. “They have a physical presence on the field as well. It’s going to be a very different game. They are a team that is very aggressive to press you high on the field. … They don’t hesitate to finish their attacks.”

Minnesota (6-4-3, 21 points) suffered its second shutout loss in four league matches, falling 1-0 to the Colorado Rapids at home on Wednesday. The Loons have managed to score 16 goals in 13 matches this season.

“We have to find the moments we can control the game with the ball,” Mitrovic acknowledged.

New England (7-4-1, 22 points) comes off its only home loss of the season, having lost 3-0 to Nashville on Wednesday night.

“It’s a new day for us,” Mitrovic said. “It’s always a new day.”

New England boasts a home record of 6-1-0, with Saturday’s match wrapping up a four-game MLS homestand.

This matchup marks the first meeting between these teams since 2023 and is the Loons’ first visit to New England in nearly four years.

“We have two more games to look forward to until the break and we need to take care of business,” Minnesota coach Cameron Knowles stated.

Minnesota forward Tomas Chancalay has played parts of the previous three seasons for New England, making this return to familiar territory.

“Now he’s coming back here and it’s probably a known environment for him,” Mitrovic noted.

The Loons will be missing Colombian midfielder James Rodriguez, who is preparing for a World Cup assignment.

Due to the quick pace of the match schedule, Minnesota is mindful of players’ workloads, including defender Michael Boxall, whose playing time is being closely monitored.

“We just want to be cautious with that and make sure we don’t push him too hard,” Knowles emphasized.

The Revolution are also assessing the conditions of defender Ilay Feingold and forward Luca Langoni, who leads the team with six assists. Both have been sidelined for at least a week with undisclosed lower-body injuries.

“Both of them are day-by-day,” Mitrovic added.