HANOVER, N.J. – Make no mistake, Bradley Wright-Phillips wants the record.
Heading into the final match of the regular season away to Sporting Kansas City (8:30 pm ET; ESPN2 in US, TSN2 in Canada), Wright-Phillips is hoping to score the hat trick necessary to break the all-time single season MLS scoring record. The New York Red Bulls forward knows that reaching 28 goals this Sunday will be no easy task, especially against a playoff-bound team like Kansas City.
Easy isn’t impossible, however.
“Obviously, it’s run through my mind,” Wright-Phillips told MLSsoccer.com. “It’ll be a great day if we could win, first of all, and I got a hat trick. I can’t lie, that would be amazing. But hat tricks are very hard to get. If I score one and we win, I’ll be just as happy, honestly. But yeah I’ve thought about scoring a hat trick because that’s what I need, and if I do that, I’ll be delighted.”
The 29-year-old has downplayed record talk in recent weeks, with Chris Wondolowski and Roy Lassiter so far holding steady at 27 goals apiece. Instead, he’s kept his focus on the Red Bulls as they pushed for a playoff spot, stating repeatedly that the possibility of cementing his name into the MLS record books didn’t occupy his thoughts.
Deep down, however, it’s clear Wright-Phillips cares. And there’s certainly no avoiding the topic.
“When I get to games and people are talking about the record, it can play [on you],” he said. “Usually when I miss a chance, it doesn’t really bother me, and the last few weeks when I’ve missed I’ve been thinking, ‘That could’ve been 26, that could’ve been 25.’”
He’ll need 26, 27 and 28 on Sunday against Sporting, but it might not be wise to bet against Wright-Phillips.
He’s grabbed a hat trick three times this season – against the Seattle Sounders, Chicago Fire and Houston Dynamo – and will be well rested against a Kansas City team that saw their CONCACAF Champions League dreams die in Costa Rica on Thursday.
“There’s no doubt in my mind I would love to have the record, but if I don’t, I’m not dead,” Wright-Phillips said. “There’s always another time, but we’ll see. If I can get an early goal, you never know.”
Franco Panizo covers the New York Red Bulls for MLSsoccer.com. He can be reached by email at Franco8813@gmail.com.
