RED BULLS WELCOME HOUSTON IN FIRST OF THREE STRAIGHT HOME GAMES
Battling for a playoff spot in a tight Eastern Conference, the New York Red Bulls return home this weekend when they welcome the Houston Dynamo to Red Bull Arena on Saturday night. Saturday's match with Houston starts a three-game homestand for the Red Bulls and marks the third and final regular-season meeting with the Dynamo this season.
Kickoff for Saturday's match is set for 6:00 PM ET with NBC Sports Network televising the game nationally. Tickets are on sale now by calling 1.877.727.6223 or logging onto tickets.newyorkredbulls.com.
New York is coming off a 4-0 loss at LA that ended a four-game unbeaten streak. But the Red Bulls remain alone in the fifth and final playoff position entering the last month of the regular season. The Red Bulls defeated Houston 4-0 on April 23 at Red Bull Arena before playing to a 2-2 draw at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston on July 4.
Houston is currently eighth in the Eastern Conference after picking up a 2-0 win over the Chicago Fire at home on September 28. The Dynamo has a game in hand on New York.
RED BULL ARENA A WELCOMED SITE AS PLAYOFF RACE TIGHTENS
The New York Red Bulls return to Red Bull Arena this weekend as they kick off a three-game home stand to start the month of October. The Red Bulls have been solid at home in 2014 and with the playoff race heating up in the Eastern Conference, New York will need to continue to maximize points at Red Bull Arena.
- RED BULLS RECORD AT RBA: 8-2-4, GOALS FOR - 33, GOALS AGAINST - 19
- RED BULLS RECORD AWAY FROM RBA: 2-7-7, GOALS FOR - 15, GOALS AGAINST - 27
The Red Bulls are unbeaten in the club's last eight regular-season matches at Red Bull Arena (6-0-2), including a current stretch of five consecutive wins.
BWP WATCH: WRIGHT-PHILLIPS STILL THREE FROM THE RECORD
Despite not finding the back of the net against the LA Galaxy last Sunday, Bradley Wright-Phillips should welcome the Houston Dynamo with open arms to Red Bull Arena on Saturday as the forward has scored in all but one of his four career appearances against them. Through two matches this season, Wright-Phillips has scored five goals against Houston this year, including a hat trick at home on April 23 in a 4-0 win. Wright-Phillips has not gone two consecutive games without scoring a goal since April 12 and 16.
The Red Bulls have not lost a regular-season match against Houston since Wright-Phillips joined the team in 2013. Wright-Phillips also scored two goals in 2013 against Houston. The forward scored in a 3-0 regular-season win on October 20, 2013 and scored another in the playoffs.
Wright-Phillips' third hat trick of the season on September 20 against Seattle Sounders FC moved him to within three goals of the single-season all-time MLS scoring record set by Roy Lassiter and Chris Wondolowski.
MLS GOLDEN BOOT RACE
- Bradley Wright-Phillips (New York Red Bulls) 24
- Dom Dwyer (Sporting Kansas City) 20
- Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) 17
- Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy) 16
- Obafemi Martins (Seattle Sounders FC) 15
MLS SINGLE-SEASON SCORING RECORDS
- Roy Lassiter 27 (1996)
- Chris Wondolowski 27 (2012)
- Mamadou Diallo 26 (2000)
- Stern John 26 (1998)
- Carlos Ruiz 24 (2002)
- Bradley Wright-Phillips 24 (2014)
- Raul Diaz Arce 23 (1996)
- Taylor Twellman 23 (2002)
- Camilo Sanvezzo 22 (2013)
- Mike Magee 21 (2013)
- Eduardo Hurtado 21 (1996)
- Landon Donovan 20 (2008)
- Marco Di Vaio 20 (2013)
- Luciano Emilio 20 (2007)
ROBLES RECORDS 100th SAVE OF SEASON, SECOND IN THE LEAGUE
Luis Robles recorded his 100th save of the season on Sunday against LA Galaxy and remained in second place in saves behind San Jose's Jon Busch.
SAVES LEADERS
- Jon Busch (SJ) 117
- Luis Robles (NY) 100
- Bill Hamid (D.C.) 99
- Donovan Ricketts (POR) 96
- Steve Clark (CLB) 94
KEARNY SWEEPS HARRISON AT RED BULL ARENA
Red Bull Arena hosted the annual Harrison-Kearny boys and girls high school matches last Saturday, September 27. Kearny swept the series, with the Kardinals taking 6-0 (girls) and 3-1 (boys) decisions.
RED BULLS DRAW AT C.D. FAS, ELIMINATED FROM CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
The New York Red Bulls were held to a 0-0 tie against Salvadorian side, C.D. FAS, at Estadio Cuscatlan on September 24 in CONCACAF Champions League action. The Red Bulls, who needed a win to keep pace with group leader, the Montreal Impact, were eliminated from the competition with one game to play.
New York and Montreal face off in the Group 3 finale at Red Bull Arena on October 22 at 8:00 PM. The Impact moved to the knockout round by virtue of winning the group.
