The New York Red Bulls have a tough task ahead of them. After losing their third straight match last week against the LA Galaxy, they now must face a red hot Toronto FC side. The Red Bulls have seemed to hit the skids in May after a nearly flawless April. They are in for a fight, as Toronto have only lost one of their five road matches this season.
New York Red Bulls vs. Toronto FC Preview
What to Watch For
Fight
This side has lacked a lot of fight these past few weeks. The team appears to be playing scared. All the confidence they built up in the three match win streak in April, came to a grinding halt once the calendar flipped. The Red Bulls will have to come out with some fight, as supporters were less than thrilled with their last performance against the Galaxy. While there is still plenty of season left, the Red Bulls will want to halt this slide as fast as they can. The Red Bulls could face quite an uphill battle the rest of the way if they fail to get a result against Toronto.
Finishing
The Red Bulls finishing has also been lack luster. They have only scored one goal in their last three matches, that isn’t going to cut it. The side that had one of the most potent attacks last season, has struggled to find any player to score consistently. Bradley Wright-Phillips has only four goals in 12 appearances. Of the 10 goals scored by Red Bulls this season, BWP and Daniel Royer have combined for seven. Alex Muyl and Kemar Lawrence make up the other three. The Red Bulls had at least six goal scorers at this point in 2016. The Red Bulls will need their other offensive weapons to step up for them to get their success back.
Being at Home
The Red Bulls had a 19 match unbeaten run at home ended by the Galaxy. They also saw it end in very embarrassing fashion. Red Bull Arena has always been a fortress for this side and they need to re-discover that. Games for the Red Bulls at home become a must win with their current road struggles. The team will also need this game to restore the supporters’ faith in them as well.
Predicted Starting XI
Game Prediction
This one will not be easy, plain and simple. There is a sense of panic in the organization that needs to be stopped. The Red Bulls need to score early and take control of the game. Last match, they did not play like a team at home. They looked scared and very lifeless. The Red Bulls need to play with a bit of nastiness and passion. They need to turn that anger and embarrassment last week, into a positive fuel for this match. With Toronto not having Sebastian Giovinvo, the Red Bulls need to take advantage. Despite it being a nail biter for 90 minutes, the Red Bulls pull off a 2-1 victory.
