The 2024 MLS season is still young, but time is running short on the New England Revolution.

The Revolution are entering a favorable stretch of six home games in their next eight. This is the Revolution’s best chance to climb out of last place in the Eastern Conference and make a sustained run to the MLS Cup playoffs.

The Revolution return home after playing four of five on the road that concluded with a 4-2 loss to the New York Red Bulls last Saturday at Red Bulls Arena in Harrison, N.J.

The Revolution (2-8-1) can begin the process of “defending the fort” when they host the ninth-place Philadelphia Union (3-4-6) on Saturday night (7:30) at Gillette Stadium.

Revolution coach Caleb Porter wouldn’t define this as the “make or break” stretch of the campaign, but he did concede the turnaround needs to start with a three-point performance against Philadelphia.

“It’s an important stretch,” said Porter. “I don’t know about make or break but it’s important for us to pick up points (and) obviously, we know that.

“We know where we’re at. We finished four of the last five on the road, so you have to remember that we had one home game in the last five. Now we have four of the next five at home, two home games in a row, and I think it’s six of the next eight at home.

“So, it’s a very important stretch, no doubt, because we’re at home so much and because of where we’re at in the league. We can’t play every game in a row. We have to play one game at a time. It’s that simple. We have got to win the next game. When I look at this chunk of games, it’s important to set up and correct where we’re at.”

New England’s problems are on both sides of midfield. The Revolution have scored just nine goals in 11 games for a 0.82 goals per game average. That serious drawback is exacerbated with the loss of sniper Tomas Chancalay, who has been suspended from the Philadelphia game due to yellow card accumulation.

Chancalay leads the team in shots (47) and shots on target (15) and has scored in the last two games. Porter would not say who will start in Chancalay’s slot on the right wing. The likely candidate is homegrown Noel Buck of Arlington, who returned to training full time after a recent injury.

“It’s a tough loss because obviously he is playing really well right now,” said Porter. “It’s nice that (Giacomo) Vrioni got a goal, because Chancalay was kind of the guy with Carles (Gil) carrying us a bit.

“It’s good that Carles also got a goal, so we feel like Vrioni and Carles can be more than capable. Then obviously, we have to choose a winger in the absence of Chancalay.”

The Union are a scoring machine despite their record. Philadelphia is tied for fifth in MLS with 22 goals in 12 games from a variety of sources. The Revolution’s back end has been porous, allowing 22 goals in 11 games, eight of which were scored in their last two losses to Inter-Miami and the Red Bulls.

Revolution Sporting Director Curt Onalfo attempted to rectify the situation by signing goalkeeper Aljaz Ivacic and center back Xavier Arreaga on April 23, but the measurable results on the pair have been inconclusive after three games.

The Union are only slightly better on the back end with 21 goals allowed and no clean sheets, a problem that has gotten worse with the loss of dynamic goalkeeper Andre Blake to a knee injury.

“Philadelphia is a good team,” said Porter. “Obviously, they’ve been very consistent in this league as a playoff team. They play the diamond, that’s pretty consistent. Every once in a while, they will play kind of a 3-5-2 or a 3-4-3, but mostly it’s a 4-4-2 diamond.

“There’s a lot of continuity and understanding of how they play that diamond. They are pretty direct. They are good on second balls. They are very good at getting runners and numbers in the box on crossing situations.

“They are very good on set pieces. They are a good transitional team and pretty steady defensively, overall. Obviously, with Andre Blake out, he is a key player for them, so there is a factor there. But it will be a tough game.”