HANOVER, N.J. – In the Red Bull Arena era (2010-present), the New York Red Bulls have never lost more than three games at home. But if they are to continue that impressive trend, they’ll need to get back to their winning ways, starting on Saturday night.
To say the season opening loss was a rarity would be an understatement, as the Red Bulls have been traditionally dominant at their home in Harrison.
Facing a revamped Toronto FC side, New York still managed to look the stronger side for the majority of the match, but failed to make their chances count, letting the Canadian side hang around as they were eventually able to break through on the counter in the late stages of the match.
The Red Bulls are hoping that their second home match of 2016 will bring a bit more success, as the squad looks to get their attack on track en route to their first win of the season.
“It’d be good to get our first win of the season at home,” Bradley Wright-Phillips said. “Obviously we lost the first game of the season to Toronto, but I think there were little positives to take from that. We weren’t sharp enough, but we were all over Toronto. The form won’t be too bad; we just have to work on getting the goals.”
Head coach Jesse Marsch has often preached tactical consistency both on the road and at home, aiming to remain steadfast in their approach, no matter where they play. And while they enjoyed their fair share of success last season—New York managed the only positive road goal differential in MLS in 2015—there is simply no denying the advantage that playing at Red Bull Arena presents to his team.
“We’re excited to be back home again,” Marsch said. “It’s an important game for us to get our season going. We’ve been successful [at home] and it’s a place that we like to play. I think we know what the game will look like.”
Given the slow start, the home fixtures become all the more important for New York. For Sacha Kljestan, a return to their friendly confines represents an opportunity to get their season on the right track before the losing streak extends any further.
“It’s always nice to be back at home, especially when you need a win,” he said. “It should be a nice night with a good crowd. Obviously we want to win, we want to celebrate with fans. If we can get our first points of the season, hopefully it’ll kick-start this thing and get us on a roll, so it’s an important game.”
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