New York City FC vs. New York Red Bulls | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

New York City vs. New York Red Bulls
2018 MLS Regular Season — Week 26
Yankee Stadium — Bronx
August 22 - 7 pm ET
WATCH: FS1, TSN 1/3/4

After splitting a pair of games this season, New York City FC and the New York Red Bulls look to lock up the Big Apple season series and perhaps a spot atop the Supporters’ Shield standings when they meet in the Bronx Wednesday night in a Heineken Rivalry Week clash.

NYCFC come into the game following a 2-0 loss at Philadelphia, while the Red Bulls leveled late to steal a point from the Vancouver Whitecaps in a 2-2 draw at BC Place.

In the first regular-season meeting, the Red Bulls raced out to an early lead en route to a 4-0 drubbing at Red Bull Arena in May, while NYCFC struck late to secure a 1-0 victory at Yankee Stadium last month.

New York City FC have won three of the last five New York Derbies (1L-1D). They had won once in the first six league meetings between the rivals (5L), per Opta.

New York City FC

NYCFC (14-6-5) surrendered a pair of second-half goals in a 2-0 loss to the Philadelphia Union Saturday night at Talen Energy Stadium.

Cory Burke and Ilsinho struck after halftime for the Union, who controlled the second half after a fairly even opening 45 minutes. NYCFC finished with nine players because Jesus Medina picked up a hamstring injury after Dome Torrent used his three substitutions and Ronald Matarrita was shown a straight red card for a late challenge on Ilsinho.

“In the second half of the last three games, we are in trouble. We have to improve,” Torrent said. “This week we practiced a lot our defensive line. We didn’t play bad in the first half with our defense. In the first half it was OK. We missed a lot of close chances. When that happens in football you can lose the game. We have to be more clinical when we have the ball in the six-yard box and we have to defend well, especially in the second half.”

Suspended: D/M - Ronald Matarrita
Suspended after next caution: M - Tommy McNamara
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: M - Yangel Herrera (ankle injury), D - Cedric Hountondji (hamstring injury), M - Valentin Castellanos (quad injury), M - Jesus Medina (hamstring injury), D - Alex Callens (knee injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-3-3, right to left)
GK: Sean Johnson — Anton Tinnerholm, Maxime Chanot, Sebastian Ibeagha, Ben Sweat — Ebenezer Ofori, Alex Ring, Maxi Moralez — Jo Inge Berget, David Villa, Ismael Tajouri-Shradi

Notes: Jesus Medina has missed just 480+ minutes of MLS play this season, in which NYCFC averages 1.1 goals per 90. In the 1,934+ minutes Medina has played, the club averages 2.0 goals per 90. … New York City FC have won just one of their last four MLS games (2L-1D), conceding multiple goals in four straight games for the first time since 2016. Their 2-0 loss last weekend snapped a streak of 14 straight MLS games with a goal.

New York Red Bulls

Daniel Royer struck early and late as New York (15-6-3) rallied to earn a 2-2 draw with the Whitecaps at BC Place on Saturday.

Royer opened the scoring in the 5th minute, tapping in a cross along the six-yard box by Bradley Wright-Phillips, who was played down the right flank by Tyler Adams. Kendall Waston leveled before halftime, latching onto a Yordy Reyna corner and heading over Tim Parker. The central defender added a second on the hour mark before Royer volleyed in an Adams free kick at the back post in the 90th minute.

“We’re always thinking about the big picture and trying to size up what’s ahead while having an eye on one game at a time,” Chris Armas said. “To come to Vancouver and start our tough stretch with a hard-fought point, down a man, the way we did it I thought was a great way to kick things off here.”

Suspended: D - Michael Murillo
Suspended after next caution: None
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: M - Florian Valot (torn left ACL), D - Kyle Duncan (torn right ACL), M - Vincent Bezecourt (MCL sprain), D - Tommy Redding (shoulder surgery)

Projected Starting XI
(4-2-3-1, right to left)
GK: Luis Robles — Connor Lade, Tim Parker, Aaron Long, Kemar Lawrence — Tyler Adams, Sean Davis — Marc Rzatkowski, Kaku, Danny Royer — Bradley Wright-Phillips

Notes: Kaku has not tallied an assist in his last three appearances for the Red Bulls, his longest streak without one this season. … The Red Bulls are averaging 1.7 points per road game in league play this year. Entering this season, only four MLS clubs had averaged 1.7+ points per game on the road in a season since 2010.

All-Time Series

Overall: New York City FC 4 wins, 14 goals … New York Red Bulls 6 wins, 25 goals … 1 draw
At New York City: NYCFC 2 wins, 6 goals … Red Bulls 2 wins, 12 goals … 0 draws
Last meeting at New York City: New York City FC 1, New York Red Bulls 0 (July 8, 2018)