HANOVER, N.J. – After a much-needed win vs. Orlando City SC on Sunday, the guys are hoping to keep the good times rolling on Friday night.
The squad is in the midst of yet another short week, and many within the group are champing at the bit at prospect of returning to the pitch at Red Bull Arena so soon. The Red Bulls will be looking to build on their winning ways during this quick turnaround.
“It’s about recharging mentally and being able to throw it all out there again on Friday,” head coach Jesse Marsch said. “It was a big result for us on Sunday, but now we have to use it in the right way to gain momentum into our season. It’s really important that we follow up that game with another good performance.”
A big part of that improved performance against Orlando City SC came in the attacking third, as the Red Bulls hit out for three goals in quick succession during the second half. Finishing had been a key component missing form their game earlier this season, but seeing the ball hit the back of the net now has the team feeling confident ahead of their next matchup.
“We’re happy with the goals,” midfielder Sacha Kljestan told NewYorkRedBulls.com. “It was a similar game to Kanas City, but this time we put three goals in, so it’s a good feeling. We’ve created a ton of chances this season—statistically we’re in the top three in a lot of categories—we just have to keep going and get our confidence going.”
The mood in the locker room was perhaps the biggest change from week’s past, but Wednesday’s training session brought a renewed energy as well. And while the effort in training has hardly been the issue in the past, there was a noticeable lift in their collective spirits around the training facility.
“You see some of the goals we created and the opportunities we created, it’s hard not to feel good after a game like that,” defender Sal Zizzo said. “Our four guys up top created a lot of chances on goal as a team.
“We still need to improve, but it still feels good to get a win under our belts. We had some luck go our way [on Sunday], but throughout the season I feel like we’ve been unlucky. If we can just carry the momentum and focus on doing the right things, we’ll be all right.”
Returning to the field so quickly will be a nice perk, but the chance to do so at home is a particularly exciting prospect for the team. Traditionally a very strong team at Red Bull Arena, Kljestan is hoping that his side can begin to right the ship with another home win on Friday night.
“It’s always good to get back in front of our home fans,” he added. “When we play at home, we always have an aura of confidence about us; we play fast, we push teams back, so that’ll be good.”
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