HANOVER, N.J. – The balmy 42-degree weather is a far cry from the warmth and sunshine of central Florida, but it’s a reminder that the New York Red Bulls are indeed back home. And as the calendar turns over to March, the anticipation of yet another season of Major League Soccer is palpable amongst the squad.
With nearly a month of preseason training camp now behind them, their focus now turns to a March 6 matchup with Toronto FC at Red Bull Arena.
Continuity was a major talking point during the offseason, and there will certainly be a fair bit of familiarity on all fronts, as nearly the entire starting XI from 2015 has returned for the upcoming campaign. But what will be new to even the longest tenured players within the team will be the home opener itself.
Not since 2011 has New York opened their season at the friendly confines of Red Bull Arena—a 1-0 win over the Seattle Sounders—as the team has started their last four seasons on the road in Dallas, Portland, Vancouver, and Kansas City.
“It’s really tough when you have to start the season away from home,” captain Dax McCarty admitted. “Especially early in the season, teams aren’t quite as sharp as they usually are, but that home field advantage certainly gives you a leg up on the opposition.”
Being on the road hasn’t exactly favored the Red Bulls in years past, as the team has gone 0-2-2 in the last four season openers. But the opportunity to embark on a new campaign in their own backyard is an opportunity not lost on the current squad.
“We want to make Red Bull Arena a fortress like we do every year,” McCarty added. “We’ve been really strong at home ever since I’ve been here. Obviously starting on the right foot with a win is our goal, and being at home certainly helps that cause.”
Their home record since 2010 speaks for itself, and the impending season opener in Harrison presents an opportunity for New York to do something they have not done in five years.
“We love playing in Red Bull Arena,” head coach Jesse Marsch said. “There should be a really good crowd and it should be an opportunity for us to start off the season in a really good way.”
