The New York Red Bulls may have come out on top the last time they faced the Houston Dynamo at BBVA Compass Stadium, but head coach Mike Petke is expecting an all-new test when the teams meet Sunday evening for the final time this season.
“We were missing some players, they were missing some players,” Petke said of the Sept. 8 meeting that ended in a 4-1 Red Bulls victory. “They’re on a good run lately. They’re fighting for a playoff future. So it’s going to be a completely different game.”
Petke is definitely accurate in his assessment. Since that 4-1 loss, Houston has posted a 3-0-2 record, placing them comfortably within the playoff bubble. Of course, clinching by early next week involves a series of scenarios conveniently listed over at HoustonDynamo.com. As one Houston fan fittingly said on Twitter, “This gives me anxiety.”
All the more reason to rest comfortably knowing your Red Bulls are playoff bound. And you can keep tabs on the Red Bulls’ 2013 MLS Cup run right here: Run With Us.
Of course, heating up at the right time wouldn’t be out of the ordinary for the Dynamo. In 2012, Houston snuck into the Playoffs as the fifth seed in the East before making their run to MLS Cup. In 2011, they were a disappointing 8-9-12 before winning four of their last five to finish second in the East.
“Houston over the years always seems to click at the right time, and they are clicking,” Petke said. “They have been a very successful team and we’re very aware of that and we’re very aware of how dangerous they are at the moment and we’re looking at how they can hurt us and how we can hurt them and hopefully get a clear understanding of that through to the players and go in there and put everything on the line.”
Everything on the line. That’s easily been the Red Bulls’ MO this season, and don’t expect it to change going forward. We’ve already highlighted the ideal end result for the club as New York heads into the final two matches of the season. The Supporters’ Shield hopes rest on the Red Bulls’ shoulders, as Petke addressed earlier this week. So long as the team plays like it did in Houston the last time around, we could be looking at a historic, final regular season match against the Chicago Fire.
Catch all the weekend’s action live Sunday when the Red Bulls take on the Houston Dynamo at 4 PM on MSG. And don’t forget to snag your tickets now for the Red Bulls’ final regular season match against the Chicago Fire on Oct. 27. Of course, you can also pair that match with the first playoff match is one convenient two-pack. Visit Red Bulls Ticket Central to learn more, or call 877.RB.SOCCER.
