New York’s Sal Zizzo and Sean Davis take on Chicago’s David Accam.
The New York Red Bulls didn’t start the fire, but they sure will be looking to extinguish it come Saturday evening. New York will play the last of a three game home stand against the Chicago Fire, a game which is sure to burn hot with emotion.
Coming off of back-to-back victories at home against D.C. and Columbus respectively, New York will be looking to continue the momentum and remain unbeaten at home. Red Bull Arena is a fortress, something which former midfielder and captain Dax McCarty knows all too well.
After spending five and a half years with New York, McCarty was traded to Chicago for $400,000 in allocation money to be split among two seasons. The move was considered a blunder given the midfielder’s popularity and solid performances through the years, with little clarity as to what the Red Bulls had intended to do with their new cash windfall. Regardless of your disposition toward the trade the Red Bulls have ample homegrown talent between Sean Davis and Tyler Adams.
While the South Ward is collectively wiping their eyes at the pre-match ceremony McCarty is slated to be honored at, New York goalkeeper Luis Robles will be preparing himself for the difficult task at hand as he looks to earn his fifth clean sheet of the season.
The Fire have a dangerous three-pronged attack courtesy of Serbian striker Nemanja Nikolic, former German World Cup winning midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, and Ghanaian winger David Accam. Offering a balance of pace and experience, Chicago’s attack has pulled the team out of the basement of the Eastern conference making them a formidable club once again. One of the team’s premier signing of the winter’s transfer window, having made the switch from Polish giants Legia Warsaw, Nikolic currently leads Chicago with four goals. Upon his arrival from Manchester United, Schweinsteiger made a difference to the Fire’s attack immediately scoring in his first appearance against the Montreal Impact. His positional versatility coupled with seasoned vision make him a complete player; the likes of which you rarely see. While Accam has been relegated to mainly a substitute role, we’ve seen him create problems for the Red Bulls high defensive line in the past. If he features on Saturday, he could very well be the key game changer for the Fire on Saturday.
Since 2010 the Fire have fared the better of the two sides, managing six wins to New York’s five with the teams sharing five draws. Red Bull fans will recall the two victories over the Fire which secured the team’s two Supporter Shields; a 5-2 home victory in 2013 and a 2-1 away victory in 2015.
The Red Bulls aren’t in over their heads by any stretch of the imagination. A team which has recaptured its form at home has star forward Bradley Wright-Phillips getting back into his groove, leading the club with three goals. Homegrown winger Alex Muyl scored in RBNY’s last two outings complemented by stellar displays from Daniel Royer and Sacha Kljestan. The truth is, the Red Bulls are just hitting their stride going into Match Week 9. While the defensive end may be a point of concern, we have the stalwart performances of young center back Aaron Long to thank for bringing stability to a struggling backline.
Right back Sal Zizzo, who missed last week’s match against the Columbus Crew with a calf-strain, is hopeful for a return on Saturday although it is not guaranteed. Wide midfielder Mike Grella returned to training this week, although it would be surprising to see him feature Saturday given his protracted absence from the side. The big question, with forward Gonzalo Veron having returned to the bench last week against the Crew, is who will start alongside BWP? Given Muyl’s recent run of form, it is difficult to justify taking him out of the lineup. While new loanee Fredrik Gulbrandsen has looked sharp, he has yet to make an impact. At this point, Veron is a gamble. If he features, expect it to be in a substitute capacity.
The New York Red Bulls will aim for their third consecutive win as they take on the Chicago Fire at home on Saturday, April 29th at 7:30 pm. Fans should tune into the match early as the club will honor Dax McCarty for his service to the team.
