First Touches is back to the grind after a long international break, in which it was not called up for international duty, but trained hard and is prepared to be selected this weekend. The Loons travel to Massachusetts to face the reigning Supporters’ Shield winners in New England for their return to MLS play.

Stats and Notes

• Minnesota and New England haven’t played each other since March 2019, a 2-1 Revolution win at Gillette Stadium.
• The home team has won all three matches in this series to date.
• The leading goalscorer in this matchup is former Rev and former Loon Juan Agudelo.
• There has never been a goal scored later than the 62nd minute in this matchup.
• As of Tuesday, both Minnesota and New England sit eighth in their respective conferences, and both are tied on points with two other teams each; the Revs are one point ahead of the Loons on the season.
• As of Tuesday, Minnesota and New England are two of the four teams in MLS with a neutral goal differential; of those four, the Revs are the highest scoring with 24 goals scored and conceded, while Minnesota is the lowest scoring with 15 goals scored and conceded.
• As of Tuesday, Carles Gil, the reigning MLS MVP, is one of four players tied for the league lead with seven assists.
• New England’s leading goalscorer on the season, Adam Buksa, was transferred to RC Lens of Ligue 1 in France during the international break, and played his final game for the club against Sporting Kansas City. 
• The Revs have actually played once since the international break already; they were one of just six MLS teams to play this past weekend, picking up a 2-1 win in Kansas City, with goals from Gustavo Bou and Emmanuel Boateng.
• Much of the Minnesota squad was available for Saturday’s friendly game against SC Paderborn of Germany’s 2. Bundesliga, a 4-3 victory featuring goals from Bakaye Dibassy, Jacori Hayes, Luis Amarilla and Aziel Jackson.
• That match featured a first-team debut for Minnesota’s Homegrown goalkeeper Fred Emmings, who also recently graduated from St. Paul Central High School.
• Minnesota has five players returning from international duty this week, including Robin Lod from Finland, Michael Boxall from New Zealand, Bongokuhle Hlongwane from South Africa, Kervin Arriaga from Honduras and Dayne St. Clair from Canada.
• Arriaga scored the clinching goal in Honduras’ 2-1 win over Canada on Monday night.
• Lod started three of Finland’s four UEFA Nations League games during the break.
• Boxall appeared in both of New Zealand’s friendlies warming up for their World Cup playoff, with one start; he did not appear in the 1-0 loss to Costa Rica on Tuesday.
• Hlongwane appeared off the bench in South Africa’s 2-1 loss to Morocco, opening their African Cup of Nations qualification process.

MATCH INFO

New England vs. MNUFC
Gillette Stadium | Foxboro, MA
06.19.22 | MLS Game No. 15
4:00 pm CT (MLS LIVE on ESPN+, Bally Sports North, The CW-Twin Cities, 1500 ESPN)