Sports Mole previews Sunday’s Leagues Cup clash between New England Revolution and Mazatlan, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Two teams who could really do with a victory face off at the Gillette Stadium on Sunday as New England Revolution kick off their Leagues Cup journey against Mazatlan FC.
The hosts are without a win in their last four matches while the visitors have failed to come out on top in any of their last seven games across all competitions.
Match preview
© ITV
New England Revolution snapped a three-game losing streak with a 1-1 draw against FC Dallas in Sunday’s meeting between the sides.
Caleb Porter‘s men took the lead via a stroke of luck as Nkosi Tafari inadvertently turned the ball past his own goalkeeper before Paul Arriola restored parity with a 95th-minute penalty.
As a result, The Revs remain rooted to the bottom of the Eastern Conference in the MLS table off the back of what has been a disastrous start to the campaign.
Next up is a continental clash against a Mexican outfit who suffered a round-of-32 exit at the hands of American opponents in last season’s Leagues Cup.
Having let in a whopping 10 goals across their last four matches on home turf, Sunday’s hosts will need to tighten up at the back to stand any chance of getting the job done here.
Mazatlan suffered a second defeat in a row as they were comprehensively beaten 2-0 by Guadalajara Chivas on Sunday at Estadio Akron.
Victor Manuel Vucetich‘s men went behind to Cade Cowell‘s opener in the early exchanges of the second period after which Armando Gonzalez sealed the deal 11 minutes from time.
With just one point picked up from four league matches so far, Los Canoneros currently sit bottom but one in the Liga MX table and are in need of a pick-me-up.
Off the back of defeats in each of their last three away outings by a combined score of 6-0, Sunday’s visitors have endured a torrid time on the road of late and will be keen to turn their fortunes around.
New England Revolution form (all competitions):
Mazatlan form (all competitions):
Team News
New England duo Tomas Chancalay and Nacho Gil are currently nursing knee injuries, while Emmanuel Boateng and DeJuan Jones miss out through hamstring problems.
The home side will also be without the services of Dylan Borrero and Noel Buck who are ruled out with hip and quad injuries respectively.
Defender Nick Lima made his return to action from a groin injury last time out and is expected to make the bench for this one.
Ecuador international Jefferson Intriago is unavailable for Mazatlan here having failed to fully recuperate from a long-term injury he picked up in March.
Gustavo Del Prete has scored two of the visitors’ last three goals and will be heavily relied upon to deliver the goods once again.
New England Revolution possible starting lineup:
Ivacic; Bye, Kessler, Arreaga, Miller; Polster, Kaye; Bajraktarevic, Harkes, McNamara; Wood
Mazatlan possible starting lineup:
Duran; Vazquez, Sanchez, Aispuro, Colula; Escoboza, Meraz, Torres, Del Prete; Barcenas, Amarilla
We say: New England Revolution 2-1 Mazatlan
Both New England Revolution and Mazatlan have suffered defensive frailties of late and we expect neither of them to come away with a clean sheet. That said, we can also see the hosts coming out on top, albeit by only a narrow margin.
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