Three key players — Leandro Gonzalez Pirez, Michael Murillo and Kaku — will miss the huge clash between Atlanta United and the New York Red Bulls on Sunday (2 pm ET | FOX — Full TV & streaming info), thanks to red cards earned in their teams' respective Wednesday night matches.
In a 5-1 loss against the Chicago Fire on Wednesday night, Gonzalez Pirez received his marching orders after Video Review. Gonzalez Pirez slid in anticipation to block a shot, but Aleksandar Katai cut back towards LGP, whose trailing arm blocked the ball near the six-yard box. He was sent off for denial of a goalscoring opportunity. It's his third red card since joining Atlanta in 2017.
Gonzalez Pirez had started each of Atlanta's first 18 games this season. Expect Michael Parkhurst or Florentin Pogba to partner Miles Robinson at the heart of defense against the Red Bulls.
The two Red Bulls' players missing Sunday's match were dismissed late into their 4-0 loss to the Houston Dynamo. Murillo, who just returned to the Red Bulls after Gold Cup duty, was sent off as the result of two yellow cards — a 44th-minute tactical foul, and an 83rd-minute tackle deemed to cross the line. Kaku, who entered the match as a second-half sub, was ejected along with Houston's Maynor Figueroa following Alberth Elis's second goal of the match, which came in the fourth minute of stoppage time.
