New England Revolution to get rare away win

The New England Revolution travel to Vancouver on Saturday to take on the Whitecaps in Major League Soccer. The Revolution go into the fixture having recorded 17 points from 33 possible. First year coach Brad Friedel has found some success as Revolution manager. However, the team need to find more consistency to challenge for top spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Vancouver Whitecaps have played two more fixtures than New England, yet the Canadian club only have 16 points to show for it. Carl Robinson's team has not won since late April when Vancouver defeated Real Salt Lake 2-0. Since then, the team has allowed seven goals in four matches. The Whitecaps last three fixtures have all ended in 2-2 draws. While being able to score, Vancouver have proven their defence and goalkeeping is incapable of keeping opponents out of the net.

The Whitecaps have given up the third most goals in all of MLS (24) and the team is –8 in goal difference. Just two times this term have Vancouver kept a clean sheet. New England do not score a lot of goals, just 18 so far and 1.6 per game, but the team does have capable attacking players in the side.

Striker Teal Bunbury has scored five goals in 11 matches, while Cristian Penilla has tallied four goals and four assists. In addition, the Revolution have one-time rising United States soccer star Juan Agudelo. He has been used off the bench this term and can provide a spark to the team. Agudelo will undergo a late fitness test for Saturday's match as he is suffering from a hamstring injury.

Former New England striker Kei Kamara currently leads the Whitecaps in goals with four. His offseason move to Vancouver was highly publicised following a two-year stint with the Revolution. Kamara never truly hit the heights in New England that he had elsewhere. The Revolution were happy to get his wages off their books, and so far, Kamara's absence hasn't been noticed.

Vancouver will be without players Jordan Mutch and goalkeeper Stefan Marinovic for Saturday's match. Marinovic has played in 10 matches but has missed the last three due to injury. The three games he has missed have all ended in draws as the club has given up six goals.

The Whitecaps have been disappointing in their last four fixtures. Without Marinovic in net, it seems likely that Vancouver will concede goals to New England. The Revolution will pick up their sixth win of the regular season and keep alive hope the club can finish atop the Eastern Conference.