Carles Gil netted a late winner in the 87th minute as the New England Revolution bounced back from an own goal to secure a 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Union on Saturday night in Foxborough, Mass., preserving their perfect home record.
Luca Langoni also found the back of the net in the second half for the Revolution (7-3-1, 22 points), who have won all six home matches this season—a club first.
New England, which missed the MLS playoffs in the previous two campaigns, is now unbeaten in seven straight games, with six wins during that stretch.
First-year head coach Marko Mitrovic has recorded the best start for a new coach in the Revs’ 30-year history.
For Philadelphia (1-8-3, 6 points), the defeat added to a miserable campaign. The Union, last year’s Supporters’ Shield winners for the best regular-season record in MLS, now sit at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. They opened the season with a club-record six consecutive losses.
Both teams managed only two shots on target each. Revolution goalkeeper Matt Turner made the game’s only save.
The win was particularly sweet for New England, as Philadelphia had dominated recent meetings, winning the last four matchups and outscoring the Revs 11-1 combined.
A quiet first half produced no shots on goal, but the Union took the lead in the 37th minute. Olivier Mbaizo launched a long ball over the Revs’ defense, and New England defender Will Sands beat Union striker Milan Iloski to the ball at the top of the box but inadvertently knocked it past Turner inside the right post.
The Revolution equalized in the 61st minute. Langoni’s corner was headed clear, but Gil collected the ball and slipped a pass back to Langoni, who cut to his right and curled a shot from outside the left side of the box just inside the far post for his second goal of the season, making it 1-1.
The game-winner came on a transition play. Dor Turgeman threaded a pass into the middle of the box to Gil, who fired a left-footed shot into the left side of the goal for his fourth goal of the year and his first in 17 matches against Philadelphia.
