It will indeed be another big test for the New York Red Bulls on Saturday. For the third time this season they will be facing off against the Philadelphia Union.
The previous two meeting were matches the Red Bulls will surely want to forget about. Both times in Philly, once in MLS league play and once in the U.S. Open Cup, the Red Bulls saw great first half performances squandered away. The U.S. Open Cup collapse saw the Red Bulls get eliminated falling 2-1 after leading 1-0 at halftime. While the MLS league match has been one of many times this year the Red Bulls have blown a two goal lead on the as they were up 2-0, before ending up with a draw at 2-2.
This time the two sides will meet at Red Bull Arena and New York will certainly try to cast out the demons of the Union that have haunted them this year.
New York Red Bulls vs Philadelphia Union Preview. Round Three
Projected Lineup:
Players to Watch:
Damien Perrinelle:
With Ronald Zubar still out due to surgery, Perrinelle will get the nod to start again. A very solid showing against the Montreal Impact last Saturday earned Perrinelle to the MLS Team of the Week. Due to injuries, Perrinelle has seen limited time this season. Last week’s strong performance could be a sign of the French center-back finding his form.
Daniel Royer:
Last week against Montreal, Royer was the only man to score in the Red Bulls 1-0 victory. This goal also marked Royer’s first since joining the Red Bulls. He will most likely be starting out left on the wing this Saturday as Mike Grella was used for a full 90 in this weeks CONCACAF Champions’ League match. Royer has looked very strong since arriving in MLS and has fit into the Red Bulls system quite well.
Bradley Wright-Phillips:
When isn’t Wright-Phillips a player to watch for the Red Bulls? The man has just been on fire this season. New York will certainly need BWP to be on his game Saturday as they will look to beat the Union for the first time this season. Last week against Montreal was the first time BWP was held goalless since the beginning of August. The current top goal scorer in MLS will look to find the back of the net again.
Prediction:
The Red Bulls will certainly have something to prove this Saturday. A solid win this weekend will certainly help ease the sting that is still felt from those past two matches against Philly. The Red Bulls are also currently in a dog fight with both Toronto FC and New York City FC in the standings. All three teams are within one point of each other and only top two in the conference will earn a bye from the play-in round for the playoffs. With the success has had at home this season I only see a win for New York this weekend.
Score: 2-0 to the Red Bulls.
