New England weathered a resilient Philadelphia side to claim a hard-fought 2–1 victory on Saturday night — with an own goal, a Langoni strike, and a late Carles Gil effort doing the damage in front of 18,561 fans, as Haitian midfielder Danley Jean Jacques started for the Union in a match officiated by an all-women on-field crew
By Emmanuel Paul, Caribbean Television Network (CTN)
The Revolution defeated the Philadelphia Union 2–1 in MLS Match No. 11, extending their unbeaten run in the regular season to six matches and lifting their record to 6-3-1, with 19 points. Philadelphia, despite a competitive showing that belied its standing in the table, fell to 1-7-3, remaining stranded in 15th place in the Eastern Conference.
The result was fashioned from three moments of quality spread across 87 minutes — a 37th-minute own goal, a 60th-minute strike from Langoni set up by Gil, and an 87th-minute finish from Gil himself — the kind of captain’s performance that has become a reliable feature of New England’s strongest nights at home.
A Match for the Record Books — For More Than One Reason
Before a ball had been kicked, Saturday night carried a distinction worth noting. Tori Penso served as the match referee, flanked by assistant referees Brooke Mayo and Kathryn Nesbitt. All three on-field officials were women — a quiet landmark in professional soccer, carried out with the same authority and precision as any other night at Gillette. Edson Carvajal served as the fourth official, with Edvin Jurisevic and TJ Zablocki as VAR and assistant VAR, respectively.
Head Coach Marko Mitrović deployed his side in a 4-3-3 attacking formation, with Matt Turner between the sticks, Mamadou Fofana and Ethan Kohler at center back, Will Sands at right back, and Peyton Miller on the left. Brooklyn Raines and Alhassan Yusuf joined Carles Gil in midfield, with Griffin Yow on the left wing, Dor Turgeman leading the line, and Luca Langoni on the right.
Philadelphia Head Coach Bradley Carnell lined up his Union side in a 4-4-2, with Andre Blake in goal, Nathan Harriel and Olwethu Makhanya anchoring the defense alongside Geiner Martinez and Francis Westfield. Jovan Lukic and Danley Jean Jacques held the center of midfield, flanked by Cavan Sullivan on the left and Indiana Vassilev on the right. Milan Iloski and Ezekiel Alladoh led the attack.
A Haitian in the House
Among those taking the field for Philadelphia on Saturday night was Danley Jean Jacques, the 25-year-old Haitian central midfielder who wears the No. 21 shirt for the Union and hails from Petit-Goâve, Haiti. For the Haitian community in Greater Boston and beyond, his presence in the starting lineup carried particular meaning — a son of Haiti competing at the highest level of professional soccer in the United States, on the very pitch that will host FIFA World Cup 2026 matches this summer.
Jean Jacques started and contributed throughout the match, part of a Union midfield that worked hard to contain New England’s creativity through the first hour. Following the final whistle, CTN sought him out for an interview. He declined. His play, however, spoke clearly enough.
The Own Goal That Changed the Tone
The match opened with both sides cautiously finding their footing. New England, as has become their habit at home, took control of possession and tempo without creating immediate danger. Philadelphia, despite their poor league record, organized well and looked to threaten on the counter.
The breakthrough arrived in the 37th minute — and it came in the most deflating way possible for the Union. A New England attacking move into the Philadelphia penalty area created confusion in the visiting defense, and the ball found its way into the net off a Philadelphia player. An own goal.
New England doubled their lead in the 60th minute when Luca Langoni finished calmly inside the area, converting a precise delivery from Carles Gil, who added an assist to what would become a complete evening’s work. Mitrović made his move in the 79th minute, withdrawing Langoni and introducing Matt Polster to protect the lead and add defensive solidity. The insurance goal came eight minutes later. Gil, finding space inside the Philadelphia half, drove forward and finished with the authority of a player who has owned this stage all season — his 87th-minute strike making it 2–1 and ending the contest.
The Numbers Behind the Night
New England finished with 10 shots and 9 corners, exerting consistent pressure throughout the 90 minutes. Philadelphia created 11 shots of their own — a reminder that this was a competitive match — but Matt Turner, commanding in goal all evening, was rarely genuinely troubled. He made one save from the Philadelphia attack that tested him.
On the other end, Andre Blake made no saves. Both of New England’s outfield goals — from Langoni and Gil — were clinical finishes that gave the Union goalkeeper no chance.
For Gil, the evening extended a remarkable run of form. He now has 90 assists since arriving in MLS in 2019, ranking second in the league. His 27 key passes over the season’s first 10 appearances are tied for seventh-most in MLS and the most among Eastern Conference players.
For Turgeman, who leads the Revolution with 21 shot attempts and nine shots on target this season, the match was another industrious performance even without a goal — the Israeli international’s willingness to press and create space was a constant headache for the Union backline.
For New England, the focus now shifts to maintaining momentum as the regular season deepens and attention across Greater Boston turns, inevitably, toward June, when Haiti will make its long-awaited return to the FIFA World Cup for the first time in over 50 years, with the opening Boston-area match to be played at this same Gillette Stadium.
Editorial Disclaimer
This article was originally written in English. Versions in other languages — including French and Haitian Creole — are made available through AI translation software. Errors and inaccuracies may be present in translated versions. Only the English version should be considered the authoritative record.
Additionally, CTN uses AI software to convert article text into audio format for accessibility and broader community reach. Listeners are encouraged to refer to the original written English text for verification of any specific facts, names, or figures.
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