The New York Red Bulls (7-6-5) are set to travel south to face Orlando City SC (6-7-6) this Saturday, with kickoff slated for 7:30 p.m, with coverage on MSG beginning at 7 p.m. This will be the first of two meetings between the teams this season. The two will meet again September 25th at Red Bull Arena. The Red Bulls enter Saturday’s match with momentum after cruising to a 4-1 victory vs. New England Revolution. Orlando played a game on Wednesday, facing off vs. English side West Bromwich Albion F.C in an international friendly and defeating them 3-1. In their last league outing, Orlando fell to FC Dallas, 2-0 last weekend.
Here are some numbers to know ahead of Saturday’s matchup.
1: This is the first ever meeting between the two clubs. Orlando City SC, along with New York City FC, are MLS’s two newest teams. It is also the Red Bulls first trip to the Sunshine State since 2001, the Tampa Bay Mutiny’s last year in MLS.
4: New York scored four goals in its previous game vs. New England. That marks the first time they’ve scored four in an MLS game this year. After scoring two or fewer goals in the first 15 league games, the Red Bulls offense has kicked into high gear lately, scoring three against NYC FC and four last weekend.
8: Bradley Wright-Phillips, the 2014 MLS Golden Boot winner, leads New York with eight goals and six assists.
9: Kaká leads Orlando in goals on the year with nine. The Brazilian has converted four penalty kicks, and is tied for fourth in the MLS goal count.
10: Orlando has played ten games at home thus far. In their first ten games at home, they’re 3-4-3.
90: New York goalkeeper Luis Robles has played started and played 90 games for the Red Bulls. Robles’ iron man streak is tied for the second-longest such streak in league history.
34,000: Orlando City SC averages 34,000 fans at home. That’s second in MLS, behind Seattle Sounders. The crowd, along with the Orlando weather, may prove to be obstacles for the Red Bulls on Saturday night.
