New York currently sits two points out of the fifth and final playoff position with an 8-8-10 record and 34 points. D.C. sits atop the Eastern Conference with a 14-8-5 record and 47 points. New York and D.C. are the only Eastern-Conference midweek matchup, giving New York a chance to jump to fourth place with a win.
BUY: RED BULLS VS. DC UNITED TICKETS
MLS Eastern Conference Standings
- D.C. United
- Sporting Kansas City
- New England Revolution
- Columbus Crew
- Philadelphia Union
- New York Red Bulls
- Toronto FC
- Houston Dynamo
- Chicago Fire
- Montreal Impact
Through two meetings this season, D.C. has come out on top twice. In two matches at RFK Stadium, D.C. shut out the Red Bulls on both occasions, earning a 1-0 win on April 12 and a 2-0 win on August 31. Luis Silva scored the game-winning goal for D.C. in the most recent meeting between the two clubs.
New York Red Bulls head coach Mike Petke ahead of D.C. match:
- “I’m not taking anything away from D.C. because they’re in first place and they’re doing things right over there. They’re getting results and that’s a credit to them. Having said that, I feel that in the two games we’ve played against them, we did enough to get points but they certainly did enough to deny us those points. So now we play them, this is the last time this year that we play them in the season. It’s in our facility so we want to go out there and we want to get after them.”
Despite two road losses to D.C. United this season, the Red Bulls should feel confident about picking up points on Wednesday at home. In the last three meetings at Red Bull Arena between the two clubs, New York has posted a 2-0-1 record and has allowed just three goals in those three matches.
The Red Bulls earned a 2-1 win on August 31, 2013, the last time the clubs met in Harrison, NJ. Lloyd Sam and Tim Cahill each scored a goal while Luis Robles stopped a penalty kick in the win.
Players to watch:
In order to pick up three points at home, New York will have to shut down one of the Eastern Conference’s top offenses. D.C. United is led by forwards Fabian Espindola and Luis Silva.
Espindola leads the team in goals and assists with nine in each category. Silva is right behind him with eight goals of his own to go along with four assists. The two have formed a dynamic partnership up top that can cause trouble for any back line.
