This match up between New York Red Bulls and New York City Football club has never had more at stake. This is about a race for the Supporter’s Shield and first place in the Eastern Conference. This is about NYCFC keeping their home unbeaten streak alive. This is about bragging rights and this is about what color the city is today.
The two teams that face each other tonight will be both coming off hard road trips with mixed results. Red Bulls rallied in Vancouver to come home with a point while NYCFC could not have had a worse night in Philadelphia not only losing three points but a number of key payers as well. Out are Jesus Medina (Hamstring), Alex Callens (knee), Valentin Castellanos (Quad), Yangel Herrera ( Ankle), Cedric Houtondji (Hamstring) and Ronald Matarrita ( suspended).
The team is limping back home and licking their wounds on just a few days rest and will face a largely healthy Red Bulls squad in good form of late. Only Florian Valot will be missing from the key pieces for Red Bulls. NYCFC is paper thin at the Center back position with Callens out and will have to make some sort of adjustment to the back line. Does Sebastian Ibeagha and Maxime Chanot could team up in the cienter but one of them would be playing out of position. Ben sweat could step into the roll or Alex Ring could drop back and play the center back in a three man line as we have seen in the past. Matarrita’s stupid flagrant foul in Philadelphia made matters worse stretching an already depleted back line even further. Dome Torrent has some hard choices to make. The line up sheet will be telling about his approach to this game.
The team will be hard pressed to keep Tyler Adams, Bradley Wright Phillips, and Daniel Royer in check tonight. Red Bulls will come out and try to capitalize early and draw first blood. If they get NYCFC on their heels in this game it will be hard for the team to recover.
Fans are certainly likely to see Jonathan Lewis at least on the bench for this one. He was missing from the team in Philadelphia and the club felt his absence as they looked to find a goal late in the second half. He could solidify his place as a super sub with a good showing off the bench tonight. His pace and creativity make him ideally suited to get behind Red Bulls’ high pressure and expose their back line. Again, will NYCFC play a three man back line with two pacey wing backs to expose the Red Bulls and cover for their lack of depth at center back? Sweat and Anton Tinnerholm have both proven themselves up to the task in other games this year. Maxi Moralez will be key in directing the midfield and creating chances for the striker and wingers. NYCFC have home field on their side and have yet to lose a match in the Bronx this year. It will be a true test of the team.
This is NYCFC verses NY Red Bulls. This is the Hudson River Derby! This is as big as it gets in the regular season. NYCFC fans may be worried about the injuries, but NYCFC is no stranger this year playing without key players. David Villa has spent most off the last month and a half out of the line up with a knock as well as have several other important players. Yet NYCFC has found a way to win for the most part. If ever there was a time for Jo Inge Berget and Ismael Tajouri Shradi to step up and make some noise in a game this is thee night. This is the toughest test at home yet with the most at stake. Red or Blue, What a night to be a fan!
