The New England Revolution strengthened their position in the Major League Soccer (MLS) Eastern Conference playoff race with a 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Union on Saturday night, extending their winning streak to three games. The win allowed them to overtake Inter Miami for second place, a key standing that grants home-field advantage through the conference semifinals.
Prior to Saturday, the Revolution had secured a playoff berth on October 14 but trailed Inter Miami, whose roster features Lionel Messi, for second place. However, Inter Miami’s 2-0 loss to Red Bull New York opened the door for the Revolution, who now hold tiebreaker advantages and control their postseason fate heading into upcoming critical matches.
The teams are set to meet Sunday at Gillette Stadium in a pivotal contest that could largely determine second place in the East. Both clubs will also face additional matches before the regular season ends: the Revolution host the New York Red Bulls on Wednesday and travel to Orlando City on November 7, while Inter Miami will face Cincinnati on Wednesday and host Charlotte on November 7.
The Revolution’s recent surge marks a significant improvement over last season, when they missed the playoffs with four games remaining. Their latest win snapped Philadelphia’s 15-game unbeaten streak and demonstrated their competitiveness against potential playoff rivals in the Eastern Conference. Since August 30, New England has recorded victories over Columbus Crew, Chicago Fire (twice), and Orlando City, while also securing a draw against Inter Miami earlier this season.
However, the Revolution’s form has been less consistent against Western Conference teams, suffering losses to the Los Angeles Galaxy, Real Salt Lake, and Seattle Sounders, the latter two by 3-0 scorelines. Even a strong finish in the East may be tested in the conference final against Nashville SC, which leads the league with 70 points (21-3-7) and has already defeated New England twice this season by wide margins.
Nashville is on pace to challenge the MLS record for points per game and is widely regarded as the team to beat. Historically, only a handful of Supporters’ Shield winners have progressed to the MLS Cup final, and an upset is not unprecedented. The Revolution themselves have previously set league records only to fall short in the playoffs, as in 2021 when they were eliminated by New York City FC.
Key to New England’s recent success has been captain Carles Gil and 18-year-old playmaker Peyton Miller. Gil has contributed 13 goals and 12 assists this season and maintains a three-game assist streak. Miller has been instrumental in creating opportunities, directly contributing to all six goals in the last three matches.
Against Philadelphia, Gil and Miller combined for both goals. Forward Dor Turgeman opened the scoring in first-half stoppage time by converting a header set up by Miller, marking the first Revolution forward to reach double-digit goals since 2021. Later in the game, Miller’s run initiated a counterattack that resulted in Gil drawing a penalty in the 86th minute, which Gil converted after a video assistant referee (VAR) review to extend the lead.
The Union responded with a late goal from Neil Pierre, who headed in a cross from Kai Wagner in the 12th minute of stoppage time — the latest goal scored in the Revolution’s 31-year history. Despite the tense match, the Revolution maintained composure and preserved their victory.
Revolution head coach Marko Mitrovic highlighted the importance of challenging opponents like Philadelphia to aid the team’s growth. Defender Ethan Kohler emphasized the squad’s readiness to face tough tests moving forward, including an anticipated large crowd expected for the upcoming Miami match at Gillette Stadium during Messi’s third appearance with the team.
As the regular season winds down, the New England Revolution look poised to maintain their upward trajectory in the Eastern Conference playoff race, setting up potentially decisive encounters in the weeks ahead.