Two teams with different fortunes recently meet on Saturday, April 15, as the struggling New York Red Bulls host in-form D.C. United at Red Bull Arena.
United (2-2-1) are riding a two-game winning streak into New Jersey after claiming a 2-1 win against New York City FC at RFK in their previous game. A week ago, Lloyd Sam scored his first of the season against NYCFC (in his 100th career MLS start) and dynamic playmaker Luciano Acosta scored his second in as many matches, jumpstarting Black-and-Red’s offense after a slow start to the season.
The New York Red Bulls (2-3-1) seem to be headed in the opposite direction as United, as Jesse Marsch’s team have lost three and drawn one in their last four games; recently losing 1-0 in Orlando on April 9. After trading away longtime captain Dax McCarty to the Chicago Fire in the offseason and making no major acquisitions, the Red Bulls are quickly searching for answers in this early part of the season, and are looking to snap out of their recent cold spell. “This team scores goals. I know we’ll score goals again,” Marsch said. “It’ll come around."
Saturday’s game is the first game of the Atlantic Cup, the name of the historic rivalry and trophy awarded to the winner of the regular season series between D.C. United and the New York Red Bulls. Last season United claimed the Cup after earning an away draw at Red Bull Arena and four points in two games at RFK.
D.C. United ended up clinching the Cup with a wild 2-2 draw on Sept. 11 where they scored twice in the game’s closing minutes. After trailing by two for much of the game, United pulled a goal back in the 89th minute thanks to a Steve Birnbaum finish from inside the 18-yard box. Following an outstanding backpedaling save from Bill Hamid early in stoppage time that kept hope alive, Lamar Neagle bundled a ball into the net off a corner kick in the 95th minute to cap a crazy Black-and-Red comeback.
Historically, United have a significant hold on the all-time regular season series between the two sides with a record of 34-25-12. Saturday will be the 72nd time that D.C United and the New York Red Bulls have faced off in the regular season, by far the most United have faced any team since the inaugural MLS season in 1996.
D.C. United are looking to remain hot following back-to-back wins, while the Red Bulls are looking to right the ship after recently struggling with their form. The first meeting of the season between the two teams will be important for both sides and their ambitions.
“In this league you know how hard it is going on the road, and that’s why this game was so important to get the win,” Sam said following the win against NYCFC. “[Now] we’ve got Red Bulls away, a tough place to go. How do we keep it going? We have to show fight like we did today.”
