The Revolution’s poor form continued last weekend with a 3-0 trouncing at the hands of rival D.C. United. Although it was just the second loss on the season for the Revolution, it showed just how little confidence the team appears to have.
The Revolution will try to gain some of their poise back when they welcome the reigning MLS Cup champions, the Portland Timbers, to Foxborough on Wednesday night.
The Revolution have beaten Portland just once since the Timbers entered MLS, taking a 1-0 win in the 2012 home opener.
Despite ending last season on a magical championship run, the Timbers have found 2016 to be anything but positive. They enter Wednesday’s game missing key components, playing without their starting goaltender, both starting forwards, and two starting defenders.
For the Revolution, midfielder Steve Neumann will miss his third straight game with a knee sprain, and defender/midfielder Chris Tierney is out with a hamstring injury. Forward Teal Bunbury (hamstring) is questionable.
The Timbers are coming off a bye week following a 3-1 home win over San Jose 11 days ago. Jack McInerney got the scoring started in the 52d minute and Fanendo Adi added a pair of goals to overpower the Earthquakes. It was the 10th time Adi has scored twice in a game since his league debut in May 2014.
Adi also scored two goals in the last meeting with the Revolution, on June 6, 2015, in Oregon.
With the game scoreless after 85 minutes, the Revolution conceded a free kick just outside their 18-yard box. The ensuing cross met the leaping Adi, who headed in the winner. The Nigerian added another goal three minutes later to seal the 2-0 victory.
Wednesday’s game provides an opportunity for New England to start a hot streak, with five of its next six game at Gillette Stadium. Defender London Woodberry believes a little home cooking will provide the recipe for success.
“It’s great, you know, we’ve got great support here and this is where we like to play,’’ said Woodberry. “Hopefully through these next few weeks we can get some points. We just got to make sure the game is in our hands.’’
Dan Shulman can be reached at dan.shulman@globe.com; follow him on Twitter @GlobeDanShulman.
