The second-place New England Revolution and Lionel Messi’s third-place Inter Miami will play for playoff positioning when they meet Sunday afternoon in Foxborough, Mass.
New England (18-10-4, 58 points) could clinch second in the Eastern Conference with a victory in both teams’ penultimate match and the Revolution’s home finale. Manager Marko Mitrovic’s squad is also in better form, entering on a season-best four-match winning streak.
Dor Turgeman scored five of his 12 goals during that stretch, and the 33-year-old Carles Gil has registered four of his team-leading 13 assists.
With 13 goals as well, Gil’s vintage form has been a major driver of the Revs’ success. But the increased contributions from Turgeman as well as 18-year-old Peyton Miller, who has seven goals and eight assists, make the current side more evolved than the one that earned a 1-1 draw in Miami on April 25.
“I don’t think we changed as a team or we are trying to change. We are just trying to grow,” Mitrovic explained. “And I think in all phases of the game we are growing as a team. Obviously, there is still a level to improve and still a level of consistency that has to be present all the time.”
Miami (15-6-11, 56 points) won three in a row before falling behind New England in the standings after a 2-0 loss at the New York Red Bulls last Saturday, followed by a 2-2 home draw with FC Cincinnati on Wednesday night.
Messi leads Miami with 25 goals and 15 assists, and is likely on the precipice of a third consecutive MVP honor. But he came off the bench after halftime against RBNY, and did not register a goal contribution in the last two matches after scoring four goals and assisting two during the win streak.
Manager Kily Gonzalez wants his side to rediscover better form ahead of the MLS Cup Playoffs, where they’ll try to become the first repeat champions since the LA Galaxy in 2011 and 2012.
“We know how important this match is against an opponent that is above us in the standings and playing at home,” Gonzalez said. “But that doesn’t change anything for us. On the contrary, I think it should motivate us to get back to being the team that we were a couple of matches ago.”
–Field Level Media
