Red Bulls goalkeeper Ryan Meara may have earned his first professional shutout against the New England Revolution on Apr. 28 at Red Bull Arena, but he knows this is not a team you can take lightly as New York prepares for this weekend’s match at Gillette Stadium (Sunday, 7 PM, MSG+).
“We know they’re dangerous going forward,” Meara said. “They got that guy [Saer] Sene, I think he has eight or nine goals, and a couple of other guys. [Benny] Feilhaber and a couple of guys on the wings that can get up and down and can cause us some headaches, but if we’re solid defensively and stay tight – I think we did a good job in Toronto, besides giving up that goal, we were tight as a unit together in the back – I think if we do all the right things we can be successful up there.”
New England Preview
New York has certainly had its struggles against the Revs in recent years when taking the trip up I-95 for meetings in Foxborough. The last win in Massachusetts came during the 2002 season.
But history is history. As the old saying goes, history runs a chance of repeating itself if you don’t learn from mistakes. If the previous meeting this season is any indication, a game in which the Red Bulls posted their first clean sheet with a 1-0 win, then the team is on the right track to begin swinging results in their favor at Gillette Stadium.
“It’s, as I always said, in this league you can see Portland suddenly beating San Jose and that’s what this league is all about,” Coach Hans Backe said from Friday’s training session at Montclair State University. “It’s so even, and you have to play up to your best every weekend if you want to win the games.”
The April victory at Red Bull Arena sparked a five-game win streak (including three straight shutouts) and a run that accounted for 19 points over seven matches, before losing to Chicago on June 17.
With three-straight home games on tap July 15, 18 and 21, you can bet the Red Bulls are hoping a win against the Revs on the road would inspire a similar streak to crop up yet again.
“It’ll be nice to get home,” said Meara. “It’ll be even better if we can come in after picking up three points in New England.”
Be sure to catch the Red Bulls Sunday at 7 PM when they visit New England’s Gillette Stadium. Watch all the action live on MSG+.
