The New York Red Bulls return to Red Bull Arena on Sunday to face the Philadelphia Union in the regular season home finale. Kickoff is slated for 3 p.m. ET, with coverage on MSG+2 and the Red Bulls Radio Network in English and Spanish.
The Red Bulls will be able to lock up the top spot in the Eastern Conference with a win over the Union, or with two points over the final two weeks of the season. New York could also win the East this weekend regardless of result if Toronto FC (vs. Columbus) and D.C. United (vs. Chicago) both lose or draw.
The Red Bulls enter at 16-10-6 after falling at Toronto FC, 2-1, on Wednesday night. Shaun Wright-Phillips scored his first MLS goal in the late stages of the match, but it was not enough to overcome two goals from Toronto.
New York returns to Red Bull Arena, where it is 11-3-2 this season. The 11 wins at home are the most in the Eastern Conference, and second most in MLS this year. It also ties a franchise record for home wins in a season. New York won 11 home matches in both 2012 and 2013.
The Red Bulls' 16 wins are also one shy of tying the franchise record for league wins in a season. New York teams in 2000 and 2013 each won 17 contests.
Sacha Kljestan was shut out in Toronto, but has 16 points, five goals and 11 assists, in his last 17 matches. Kljestan has only gone two straight games without a goal or assist once since mid-June, when his current run of form began with two assists in the win over New York City FC at Yankee Stadium.
New York is 8-5-2 all-time against Philadelphia in MLS play, including a 5-1-1 record at Red Bull Arena in league play. The teams have also split a pair of U.S. Open Cup meetings in Harrison.
Both losses have come this season. The Union dropped the Red Bulls, 2-0, on May 24 in a league match, and also eliminated the Red Bulls from the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup field in July. The Red Bulls took the other MLS meeting, defeating the Union 3-1 at PPL Park on August 1 behind a goal and assist from Kljestan.
Philadelphia enters at 9-16-7 after being eliminated from playoff contention with a 3-0 loss to Toronto in its last outing. C.J. Sapong leads the team in scoring with nine goals, while Cristian Maidana has 15 assists in his second MLS season.
After Sunday, the Red Bulls close the regular season with a trip to Chicago on Sunday, October 25. Kickoff against the Fire is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET.
With one point needed to lock up a top-two spot in the Eastern Conference, New York would next return home to host the second leg of an Eastern Conference semifinal match on Sunday, November 8.
