FOXBOROUGH — Both the Revolution and Philadelphia Union were able to call on their national team players Saturday night at Gillette Stadium after an absence for Gold Cup duty Saturday night. But the player who made the difference in the Revolution’s 3-0 victory over the Union was Kei Kamara, who scored twice and cleared a potential equalizer off the line.
The Revolution (7-9-5, 26 points), who have revived their playoff hopes with two successive victories, gained a spark from US national teamers Kelyn Rowe and Juan Agudelo, who added an 89th-minute goal, plus substitute Je-Vaughn Watson, who helped Jamaica to a second-place finish in the Gold Cup.
“I think Kei is putting his head down and working and understanding we’re trying to get him service and do things to make our team better,’’ Revolution coach Jay Heaps said. “I thought he did all the little things — clearance off the line, really good job holding up the ball, battling their guys. Kei carries a heavy burden, there’s a lot of scrutiny on Kei. In terms of taking care of business, I thought he went about it really well.’’
Until recently, the Union (7-10-5, 26 points) had the Revolution’s number. The Union had a three-match winning streak (10-0 goal differential) over the Revolution in MLS games since Sept. 26, 2015, but struggled to find a rhythm, despite the return of former Boston College star Alejandro Bedoya and Chris Pontius.
Kamara opened the scoring, making a spectacular stab on a Rowe cross, just past John McCarthy’s attempted punch in the 38th minute.
“I’ve never seen myself jump that high,’’ Kamara said. “Hopefully, I’ll keep doing that.’’
The Revolution, playing on a grass field installed for Sunday’s Juventus-Roma match at Gillette Stadium, controlled the second half. A Lee Nguyen-Teal Bunbury combination set up Diego Fagundez for a 49th-minute point-blank chance, blocked by a sliding Jack Elliott, with McCarthy out of the net.
But the Union nearly tied the score in the late going.
Oguchi Onyewu, playing his first game at Gillette Stadium since an appearance for the United States against Spain in 2011, had a header off a 69th-minute corner headed over the bar by Kamara. Then, Cody Cropper made a kick save on a deflected 81st-minute shot by Union substitute Fafa Picault.
Kamara then converted his seventh goal of the season, one-timing a low cross from right back Andrew Farrell after a Nguyen setup, in the 85th minute.
Agudelo, a 67th-minute substitute for Bunbury, scored his eighth goal of the season, heading in at the back post off a Scott Caldwell cross.
“This team has such a powerful offense, so many guys that can score goals at any time in the game,’’ Kamara said. “We didn’t let in any goals — that was the focus. Philly has really put up some goals against us. Again, the focus was defensively, we’ve got to all play together.’’
The Revolution were able to neutralize Union leading scorer C.J. Sapong, playing as a lone striker, with central defenders Benjamin Angoua and Tony Delamea, recording their first shutout since a 3-0 win over Toronto FC June 3. Rowe, who played on the left wing for the United States, made his sixth start of the season at left back, and Farrell added his second assist in two games.
“It started from making sure, defensively, we were sound,’’ Heaps said. “We worked tirelessly this week to hone in on that pressure-cover balance. Offensively, I thought if we could defend really well, we were going to get opportunities going forward. To me the key was the zero.’’
After the match, Heaps called the team together in the center circle. “They need to feel that moment,’’ Heaps said, “and, hopefully, it’s a defining moment for our season.’’
