The New York Red Bulls are officially in postseason mode.
Following the results of MLS Decision Day, New York will take on the Chicago Fire in the Audi 2017 MLS Cup Playoffs Knockout Round on Wednesday night.
“None of the matchups were going to be easy—Chicago won’t be easy,” Head Coach Jesse Marsch said. “Chicago’s excited to be back in the playoffs and to have a home game, so they’re going to throw everything at us.”
As the six seed in the Eastern Conference, the Red Bulls will be on the road in the Knockout Round, a place Chicago has proven dangerous this season.
The Fire boast the second-best home record in the conference, 12-2-3, something New York will need to overcome on Wednesday.
“We know that it’s going to be a fight,” Connor Lade said. “We’re going to play a team who’s been very good at home this year.
“We’ve got a lot of good players and they’re a strong team, but we know that we have to prepare ourselves naturally for an absolute battle and leave everything on the line, or else you’ll be going home.”
New York won the season series with the Fire, going 1-0-1 with the lone victory at Red Bull Arena in April, 2-1.
Despite the challenges ahead, the Red Bulls are confident they can go into Toyota Park and get a result.
“We matchup well against Chicago, they’re going to be up for it,” Luis Robles said. “We’re going to have to bring it all and not think about the next round, not think about resting, not think about anything other than for 90 minutes, 120 minutes, PKs, whatever it takes, doing whatever it takes to win.”
