New York City FC Match Preview and Prediction: New York Red Bulls
New York City FC looks to rebound after last week’s disappointing loss and beat the New York Red Bulls in the second leg of the Hudson River Derby.
Where: Yankee Stadium – Bronx, New York
When: Sunday, 8/6 at 6:00 pm ET
How to Watch: FS1, Fox Sports Deportes
Match Overview:
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The Hudson River Derby has taken on serious meaning the past couple of seasons and this iteration of the New York rivalry is no exception. The New York Red Bulls sit only two points behind NYCFC on the Eastern Conference table with a game in-hand and can vault up to third place with a win over NYCFC in the Bronx.
New York City FC must be glad they’re coming home after suffering their worst loss of the season at the hands of Toronto FC. The Boys in Blue have been one of the best home squads in the MLS, capturing 24 points out of a possible 33 in 11 games at home this season. The Pigeons have also outscored their opponents by 11 goals at home and average a little over two goals per match at Yankee Stadium.
Although the Red Bulls fell to NYCFC in their first meeting this season, they’re a completely rejuvenated squad now. The Red Bulls have won their last five matches in dominating fashion, outscoring opponents by a 16-3 margin over that span, and are coming off consecutive shutout victories. They have also won their last three away matches, outscoring opponents by an impressive 7-2 margin.
If they want to keep what little hope they have of capturing the Supporters Shield, NYCFC must come away with a win Sunday night. Any other result will be considered a failure.
Three Keys to the Game:
- Pressure Sacha Kljestan in the Midfield: The Red Bulls’ flow of play goes through their midfield maestro, Sacha Kljestan. The United States international leads the club with five assists on the year and is a dangerous passer when given the space and time to survey the field. NYCFC’s midfield trio of Maxi Morález, Alexander Ring, and Yangel Herrera must be relentless in their pressure and force Kljestan into mistakes.
- Erase Bradley Wright-Phillips From the Equation: A perennial Golden Boot candidate, Bradley Wright-Phillips is one of the most prolific strikers in the MLS and has had a lot of success against the Boys in Blue. In his eight career games against NYCFC, Wright-Phillips has scored eight goals. The England international must be accounted for at all times Sunday evening.
- Stretch the Red Bulls’ Back Line: The Red Bulls have had a lot of success with their recent switch to a 3-4-3 formation and if the Pigeons want to break through their defense, they’ll have to make centrebacks commit to their wingers’ runs. Passes over the top and through balls on the wings should stretch the Red Bulls’ backline just enough for David Villa to find pockets of space to redirect crosses or have open looks on frame if he receives the ball at the top of the 18-yard box.
Related Story: NYCFC Suffers 4-0 Thrashing at the Hands of Toronto FC
Player to Watch: Yangel Herrera
Yangel Herrera will be back in the starting XI after missing last week’s match in Toronto due to a red card suspension. The 19-year-old Venezuelan has been a driving force in the midfield and should pick up where he left off, though there may be a little timidity to his game because he’s coming off a suspension and his next yellow card will cause him to miss yet another match.
The 19-year-old Venezuelan has been a driving force in the midfield and should pick up where he left off, though there may be a little timidity to his game because he’s coming off a suspension and his next yellow card will cause him to miss yet another match.
Official Overview: Baldomero Toledo
Baldomero Toledo is a 14-year veteran official who has been head referee for a whopping 223 matches in his career, but he has a reputation for not letting the boys play.
Toledo tends to reach for his pocket quite frequently. The veteran official currently averages a little over four yellow cards per game and .46 red cards per game in 13 matches officiated this season.
The game might not have much flow to it based on his track record, and if things get heated like most rivalry matches do, expect plenty of cards to be doled out.
Prediction: NYCFC 3 – NY Red Bulls 2
New York is Blue for the second consecutive match. Despite their loss north of the border, NYCFC will rebound and continue their dominant home form against the Red Bulls Sunday night.
Wright-Phillips will definitely find the back of the net at some point, but the Red Bulls’ three-man defensive line will struggle to contain David Villa, Tommy McNamara, and Jack Harrison for a full 90 minutes.
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NYCFC’s three-headed attack will ultimately decide the match and the Pigeons will put some distance between themselves and their cross-river rivals on the table.