New England Revolution head coach Marko Mitrovic acknowledged they need to improve in the final third and hopes they can do just that against FC Cincinnati in MLS.

The Revs have lost both of their league games in 2026 so far, and were one of just four Eastern Conference teams that failed to earn a single point in the first three matchdays.

More worryingly for New England is the fact that they have scored just one goal from four shots on target across their defeats to Nashville SC and New York Red Bulls.

And Mitrovic says the team have been working on their finishing as he looks for solutions to their early problems.

"We are working on that," Mitrovic said. "Those numbers are not something that we like to see or that are our tendency.

"You can get in spaces and take the shots from 30 yards and have a number after the game that says we took 15 shots. But how many of those shots are really dangerous situations?

"Obviously, saying that, we still have to improve, I would say, before the shots, arriving in the right spots in the final third and then creating opportunities to take those shots, especially from the shots where we can more likely score the goals."

Cincinnati, meanwhile, followed up an opening-day win over Atlanta United with back-to-back defeats to Minnesota United and Toronto FC.

They come into this game on the back of a statement 3-0 win over Tigres UANL in the Concacaf Champions Cup ast-16 first leg in midweek.

Pat Noonan was pleased to get a clean sheet in that victory, but noted he wants to see a more confident defensive performance.

"We're trying to get these guys comfortable in ways where the first thought isn't always direct, it's: Can we find a solution? And if we can't, don't take risks," Noonan said.

"I'd like to improve on that, but stopping goals and keeping the ball out of the net is the most important."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

New England Revolution – Griffin Yow

New England attempted just nine shots in their first two matches this season, the fewest through two matches of a season since Opta began detailed data collection of MLS in 2010. 

Griffin Yow was responsible for two of those in their loss to the New York Red Bulls, getting them both on target, with his 0.3 expected goals (xG) a team-high in that game.

FC Cincinnati – Miles Robinson

Miles Robinson tied a career-high by winning eight aerial duels for Cincinnati against Toronto FC on Sunday, equalling the mark he set against the Chicago Fire in April 2021.

In his first two appearances this season, Robinson managed to win just three of the seven aerial duels he contested.

MATCH PREDICTION: FC CINCINNATI WIN

Cincinnati recorded a pair of 1-0 wins over New England last season, their first set of consecutive wins over the Revolution.

In fact, Cincinnati have won three of their last four against New England (L1) after winning just one of the first eight meetings between the sides in all competitions (D3 L5).

However, Cincinnati have lost two straight matches, both by 1-0 scorelines, including a defeat to Toronto FC on Sunday. Each of Cincinnati's last five regular-season defeats dating back to last August have been by the score of 1-0.

New England opened the season with back-to-back losses, losing at Nashville SC and NYRB. The Revs have suffered outright losses in their first three games of a season only twice before, in 2001 and 2024.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

New England Revolution – 27.6%

Draw – 24.1%

FC Cincinnati – 48.3%