FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – For just the second time in club history, the New England Revolution have opened a season with five straight home wins. The first time came in 2021, when the Revs eventually went on to win the Supporters’ Shield.

Now 5-0-0 at Gillette Stadium, New England extended their current unbeaten streak to six games (5-0-1) with a hard-fought, 1-0 victory over Charlotte FC on Saturday night. Outshooting Charlotte 14-7, the Revs were on the front foot for much of the match, but the breakthrough didn’t come until the final moments.

When it seemed they might have to settle for a draw, Carles Gil reminded everyone why he wears the armband. Deep into stoppage time, the Revs earned a penalty and one last chance to claim all three points. Always composed, Gil stepped up to the spot and buried his second penalty of the season. Charlotte pushed desperately for an equalizer in the final minutes, but New England held firm to protect the lead.

“When we speak about our relentless fighting spirit and that this team is never going to give up, that is part of our identity, We still have a long way to go, but I just love the small milestones that we are achieving game-by-game and how much we are growing as a team,” head coach Marko Mitrović said following the match. “Minutes before the end of the game, and you know this is the winning shot in the game, almost. I just respect and appreciate Carles a lot as a player and as a person. Carles taking that responsibility and not shaking. Even though he’s our captain and he’s one of, if not our most experienced player, but those moments aren’t easy. As I said, those who haven’t been in that situation don’t know how difficult it is. Congratulations to Carles being calm and being so sharp in that moment.”

The victory marked New England’s third clean sheet of the season, securing every shutout performance on home soil. Matching the club's best-ever home start, the Revs have now won more games at home this season than they did all of last year.

“In MLS, one of the most important things is taking advantage of your home games. I think since there's such parity across the league, you really have to win your home games. That was a thing we struggled with last year, and I think the fans didn't get what they deserved last year. That's been a big push this year, is to give them a show and get big points when we play in front of our own fans,” said defender Will Sands, who shut down Charlotte FC’s Wilfried Zaha for all 90 minutes.

Across all competitions, Saturday’s match was the Revs’ seventh in 22 days. It’s been a demanding stretch, but the group has embraced the grind. With another busy run ahead, through exhaustion and high demand, the team hasn’t wavered. Sands said the group promised each other at the start of the season, no matter the circumstances, they would always fight for wins.

“We all said, ‘We’ve got to be willing to suffer to get three points.’ We don't always want to do that, but when the time asks for it, I think everyone on this team is willing to put in the effort, put their bodies on the line, and you can see it in games like this,” he said. “Marko came in and that was one of the fundamental things that he asked for. It was really non-negotiable. He said, ‘As long as you're willing to put in 100 percent effort, things will work out in the end,’ and I think that is a belief that we all carry.”

With their red-hot home form lifting them to second place in the Eastern Conference, the Revs have a chance to make club history. Saturday’s battle with Charlotte was the first of a four-game homestand, giving New England a prime opportunity to set a new record start in Foxborough. While there is still a lot of season left to be played, it’s been one exciting ride through the first 10 games.

“We want to be better in many things, but for sure we are showing that we are a different team than the last two years,” said Gil. “We say many times that the best teams in the league are very strong at home and that is what we want. With the fans, it’s the same. It was two difficult years for them too, and to see the team winning games the way we are, fighting until the end, where everyone is happy.”