Revs midfielder Carles Gil (22) and Red Bulls defender Michael Murillo (62) eye a loose ball during the first half at Gillette Stadium. (Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports)
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The Red Bulls’ troubles continued at Gillette Stadium Saturday night as they failed to win for their fifth consecutive game this Major League Soccer season.
Cristian Penilla goal in the 74th minute boosted the New England Revolution to a 1-0 victory before a sparse, rain-soaked crowd.
The defending Supporters Shield champions extended their winless streak to five games as they fell to 1-4-2 and remained with five points while the Revs (7 points) improved to 2-5-1.
Juan Fernando Caicedo fed an onrushing Penilla on a 2-on-1 break as the second-half substitute fired a seven-yard shot past goalkeeper Luis Robles.
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Video courtesy of the Revs Facebook page
The Red Bulls’ attack was mediocre at best.
Their main man, striker Bradley Wright-Phillips, continued his personal goal-scoring slump. BWP, who tallied but once this season hasn’t found the net in five consecutive games over 433 minutes. His lone goal this season was scored in the 4-1 home-opening win over the San Jose Earthquakes March 16.
To be fair, his teammates did not go a good job of setting up the perennial scoring threat and it certainly didn’t help that the team played without Kaku, serving a one-game suspension for his stoppage-time red card in the road draw at Sporting Kansas City last Sunday.
There is a good chance the Red Bulls will have to play without their playmaking midfielder for several games because the league could slap him with a multi-match ban for kicking the ball into the stands, which hit a fan’s face.
The Red Bulls will try to get their act together against expansion team FC Cincinnati at Red Bull Arena next Saturday night.