On Saturday at Gillette Stadium, the Revolution could set history. It is history they do not want to make.
With a loss or tie against the Philadelphia Union, the Revolution will extend their winless streak to a team-record 10 games. They are stuck in a nine-game skid for the third time in franchise history. Their last win was July 8, a 2-0 home victory over New York.
The Revolution appeared poised to put aside their winless streak after just 21 minutes Wednesday. Hosting Chivas USA and former Revolution captain Shalrie Joseph, they tucked three straight balls into the Goats’ net to grab a 3-0 lead. Forward Saer Sene scored two of those goals, giving him a team-leading 11 strikes.
But Joseph kicked off a Chivas rally with a pair of goals of his own. Before fans had even settled into their seats after halftime, Chivas completed the comeback to claim a 3-3 tie — one that felt like a loss for the Revolution.
Saturday marks the second match in a three-game homestand. The Revolution will be without Sene against the Union because of a sprained left knee. In the 65th minute against Chivas, Sene appeared to suffer the injury when he tried to plant himself after a run. When play went the other way, Sene stayed down and required help to hobble off the field. He was replaced by Benny Feilhaber.
Sene’s absence will be significant. He triggered the attack against Chivas with a close-range blast past goalkeeper Dan Kennedy. Sene scored his second goal and the Revolution’s third with a long-distance, left-footed strike that caught Kennedy leaning the wrong way.
“He’s a special player for us,” coach Jay Heaps said after the tie. “When we score goals, he seems to be around it. He’s creative. He’s dangerous. He’s unique. I like that about him. I’d like to see him score more goals. That’s the thing for me, and he himself feels it. He’s probably left 5-8 goals out of the net — goals that he wants.”
The Revolution have scored six goals in their last two games. But they have made timely mistakes. Chivas scored its second goal in stoppage time during the first half. In the 47th minute, Chivas scored the equalizer.
“I think we’re trying to be a little more dynamic in how we break things down,” Heaps said. “We do a lot of analysis of where we possess the ball. We’re No. 1 in possession after midfielder in the other team’s half, but not in the final third. Call it the middle third or attacking middle third. We want to get out of there and get in the final third.”
Philadelphia also is struggling. The Union are 0-3-2 in their last five games. But the Union are undefeated (3-0-2) in five all-time matches against the Revolution.