New England Revolution came from behind to claim a dramatic 2-1 Major League Soccer victory over Philadelphia Union on Saturday night at Gillette Stadium, overturning a frustrating first half with two second-half goals to seize all three points in Foxborough.
Philadelphia looked set to grind out a valuable away result after taking the lead in unusual fashion on 37 minutes, when Revolution defender William Sands turned the ball into his own net. It was the kind of scrappy breakthrough the visitors badly needed, and for much of the first half it suited the rhythm of the match, with the Union content to stay compact and make life difficult.
The opening period was combative as much as it was fluid. Jovan Lukic went into the book for Philadelphia in the 34th minute, and Indiana Vassilev followed with a yellow card in first-half stoppage time as the tension rose. By the interval, the Union held a 1-0 advantage, despite seeing less of the ball.
That deficit, though, did not change the Revolution’s approach. New England dominated possession throughout the night, finishing with 61.1 percent of the ball, and kept pressing for a way back into the fixture. Their territorial control also showed up in the corner count, where they earned nine to Philadelphia’s three, steadily pinning the visitors deeper and deeper.
The equalizer finally arrived on 61 minutes. Luca Langoni brought New England level at 1-1, rewarding the home side’s stronger spell after the restart and shifting the momentum decisively. From there, the Revolution looked the more likely side to find a winner, even if Philadelphia continued to threaten sporadically on the counter.
For all of New England’s control, it still took patience. The Revolution managed only two shots on target, but they made them count. Philadelphia, meanwhile, produced 11 total shots to New England’s 10 and matched the hosts with two efforts on frame, yet never fully regained their first-half composure once Langoni had restored parity.
The decisive moment came late. In the 87th minute, Carles Gil struck the winner to complete the turnaround and send Gillette Stadium into celebration. It was a captain’s contribution at the biggest moment, and it capped a second-half response full of persistence from the Revolution.
Philadelphia’s frustration was compounded by a physical evening in which they committed 16 fouls, double New England’s eight, and struggled to turn their first-half lead into a platform for points. After another defeat, the Union’s difficult run continues, while the Revolution’s strong form gets another boost.
By full time, New England had turned a potentially damaging night into an impressive comeback result. After trailing to William Sands’ own goal on 37 minutes, the Revolution answered through Luca Langoni on 61 minutes and Carles Gil on 87 minutes to secure a deserved 2-1 win.
