For the second straight week, an early goal cleared the path for an offensive onslaught from the New England Revolution, who claimed a wild 5-3 win over the Philadelphia Union on Saturday at PPL Park.
AJ Soares netted a 14th-minute goal, while Diego Fagundez tallied for the third time in two games in the 27th minute. Lee Nguyen struck back with his team-leading fifth goal of the season in the 49th minute, while Chris Tierney used a free-kick opportunity to scribble his name on the scoresheet in the 57th minute. Meanwhile, rookie Patrick Mullins scored in his third straight game on a 67th-minute strike assisted by Fagundez.
Backup goalkeeper Brad Knighton made his first start for the Revolution this season, making four saves along the way.
Vincent Nogueira gave the home crowd a measure of hope in the 36th minute, while Sheanon Williams scored in the 76th minute. Sebastien Le Toux capped the goal bonanza in the 92nd minute on a strike from the spot.
Union midfielder Cristian Maidana was sent off in the 81st minute for a studs-up challenge on Steve Neumann, dooming the hosts to 10 men for the remainder of the match.
The Revolution's 5-3 victory snapped a six-game winless streak at PPL Park that dated back to the Union's debut season in 2010. The victory also extended the Revolution's current unbeaten streak to six (5-0-1).
What it means: The last time the Revolution came to PPL Park, they were a team in dire straits, unable to score with a host of concerns in the rear. It's safe to say that the Revolution side on display Saturday has put the past behind them -- in more ways than one. Not only did they score early and often, but they put the PPL Park jinx behind them to grab their first win in the shadow of the Commodore Barry Bridge. With players like Fagundez, Teal Bunbury and Nguyen in form, and plenty of depth on the bench, there appears to be no stopping the Revolution going into the summer.
Stat of the match: Soares' 14th-minute goal snapped the Revolution's goal drought at PPL Park at 360 minutes. The last Revolution goal in Philadelphia came from a 12th-minute goal from Saer Sene in a 2-1 loss on July 29, 2012.
Knighton makes season debut: Knighton was given his first start of the season against the Union after starter Bobby Shuttleworth suffered a concussion in training on Thursday. Incidentally, Knighton, who spent his first three seasons (2007-09) in MLS with New England, was selected by the Union in the 2009 expansion draft and collected eight starts for the Philadelphia squad in 2010. He was subsequently waived following the season.
Back to Gillette: The red-hot Revolution will look to continue their offensive exploits at Gillette Stadium on Saturday, May 24, for their second meeting of the season against longtime rival D.C. United. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. On April 5, D.C. staked a 2-0 win over the Revolution at RFK Stadium.