For these two teams’ third league meeting and fourth all-competition meeting, the New York Red Bulls (16-10-6) will face the Philadelphia Union (9-16-7) on Sunday, October 18 at Red Bull Arena. The game will be broadcast on MSG+2, with pregame coverage beginning at 2:30 p.m. EDT and match coverage beginning for when kickoff is scheduled at 3:00. Both teams are looking to bounce back from losses in Toronto, though a win would matter more to the Red Bulls, who still have the opportunity to win the Eastern Conference and the Supporters’ Shield, than it would to Philadelphia, who were eliminated from the playoff race two weeks ago.
Here are some numbers to know ahead of Sunday’s matchup:
-11: Philadelphia’s goal difference of -11 is the lowest in the league. The Red Bulls’ +15 is the highest. Away, Philadelphia’s goal difference drops to -13.
0: C.J. Sapong, Philadelphia’s leading goal scorer, has not scored in October since 2012.
3: With a win and three points, the Red Bulls would clinch the Eastern Conference.
4: The Red Bulls have gotten a result in 4 of their 5 final regular season home games at Red Bull Arena (3 wins, 1 draw), and one of those was a win against Philadelphia in 2011. Home sweet regular season home.
8: Maurice Edu, Philadelphia’s #8, will not be available for the match after undergoing sports hernia surgery. Without him, Philadelphia is 3-12-3.
12: Sacha Kljestan leads the Red Bulls in assists this season with 12. Though he hasn’t recorded one in his last two matches, he hasn’t gone three matches without an assist since June 20. One of those – as well as a goal – came at Philadelphia in August.
17: It’s been 17 weeks since the Red Bulls lost two consecutive matches, the last being a 2-1 loss to Vancouver on June 20 following a 4-2 loss to Houston.
18.75: Philadelphia Union have only won 3 of their 16 away games (18.75%) – but one of those wins was at Red Bull Arena in May.
60: The Red Bulls have won 60% of their Sunday games, while Philadelphia have only won 37.5%. On Sundays, the Red Bulls are 6-2-2 and the Union are 3-4-1.
98: Shaun Wright-Phillips, who scored his first goal of the season on Wednesday, received his Red Bulls debut in the win at Philadelphia on August 1. He also recorded his first assist of the season in that match.
4,198,815: Last year, New York’s Statue of Liberty received 4,198815 visitors, while Philadelphia’s Independence National Historical Park, which houses the Liberty Bell, received only 3,648,050.
