The Red Bulls return home on Sunday, November 8 for the second leg of the Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoff eastern conference semifinals against D.C. United. They took the first leg at RFK 1-0 last weekend and head in 1-0 on aggregate. The match is set to kickoff at 3pm and coverage will be on ESPN.
Here are some numbers to know ahead of Sunday’s home leg:
0: D.C. United failed to score a goal at Red Bull Arena in the two trips they made this regular season. After taking 0 shots on target in the first leg, they don’t look on target to change that statistic this weekend.
2: Both Luis Robles and Bill Hamid are up for MLS Goalkeeper of the Year. Only one has kept a clean sheet so far in the playoffs.
3: Kljestan’s assist last Sunday was his third-straight. The only better run he’s had this season was assisting in every match from August 9 to September 11 (5 games).
10: The Red Bulls have only been shut out in 10 of their 42 all-time postseason matches, although 6 of those were at home and 3 of those 6 were against D.C. However, they haven’t been shut out in their last 9 postseason matches.
23: With Damien Perrinelle out for the rest of the playoffs with a knee injury, the Red Bulls will call upon their #23, Ronald Zubar, to take his place. When Zubar featured, the team was 7-4-1 in the regular season. He played 701 minutes – including 5 full 90-minute games, with a 3-2-0 record – but less than 300 of those minutes were with Matt Miazga. The only time in the regular season they played the full 90 together was the loss at Toyota Park in August, but Zubar did score the goal in that match that originally brought the Red Bulls level.
35: The Red Bulls’ susceptibility to counterattacks has been noted all throughout the regular season, but knowing they need to prevent any away goals, the team will be up to prove the critics wrong. Dax McCarty made 35 recoveries against D.C. during the regular season, which is the third-highest amount any one player has made against any one team. The Red Bulls can also rely on Felipe, who made 24, and Kemar Lawrence, who made 20.
40: The Red Bulls have won only 40% of their postseason home matches against D.C. (2-3-0), but one of those being their most recent postseason home result (on November 2, 2014).
50: The Red Bulls have gotten a result in 50% of their postseason home matches (7-9-2), which is all they need now to advance. They are 2-4-0 when those matches are second legs.
55: The weather forecast for Sunday in Harrison is around 55 degrees and sunny. It will not snow.
