NEW YORK RED BULLS vs. D.C. UNITED
Red Bull Arena | Harrison, New Jersey
Sunday, September 11 | Week #27 | MLS Game #281
1 pm ET (ESPN, ESPN Deportes in the US, MLS LIVE in Canada)
The Atlantic Cup for 2016 will be decided in a crucial match in the Eastern Conference playoff chase as the New York Red Bulls play host to D.C. United on Sunday afternoon at Red Bull Arena before an ESPN audience. The Red Bulls come into the weekend sitting in second place in the conference, just a point off the top spot, having extended their undefeated streak to a club-record 10 matches with a second consecutive 1-0 victory, last Saturday at Vancouver Whitecaps FC. United have fallen two points below the red line, sitting in seventh place in the East after their six-game undefeated run was put to an end in a 3-2 loss at New York City FC last week.
- The New York Red Bulls enter this rivalry showdown riding a two-game winning streak and 10-match unbeaten run in league play. They last went on the road and beat the Vancouver Whitecaps, 1-0, in Week 26.
- D.C. United were not on the winning end in their most recent outing, as they suffered a dramatic 3-2 loss to New York City FC on Sept. 1.
- The bitter Atlantic Cup foes have already met twice before this season, meaning this affair will be the final one between them unless they meet in the playoffs. The two previous encounters took place at RFK Stadium, and D.C. United won 2-0 at home on May 13 before split the points with the Red Bulls in a 2-2 draw on Aug. 21.
REFEREE: Jair Marrufo. AR1 (bench): Eric Boria; AR2 (opposite): Adam Wienckowski; 4th: Alejandro Mariscal
MLS Career: 207 games; FC/gm: 23.3; Y/gm: 2.8; R: 39; pens: 59
SUSPENDED: NYR: Mike Grella (caution accumulation; through Sept. 11), Alex Muyl (caution accumulation; through Sept. 11) -- DC: Luciano Acosta (caution accumulation; through Sept. 11)
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: NYR: Connor Lade -- DC: Steve Birnbaum, Marcelo Sarvas
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: NYR: Kemar Lawrence, Ronald Zubar, Felipe Martins -- DC: Sean Franklin
DISABLED LIST: NYR: Gideon Baah (season-ending injury) -- DC: Chris Korb, Alhaji Kamara, Charlie Horton
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (70 meetings): Red Bulls 25 wins (1 shootout), 101 goals -- United 34 wins (1 shootout), 126 goals -- Ties 11
AT RED BULLS (33 meetings): Red Bulls 15 wins (0 shootout), 46 goals -- United 13 wins (0 shootout), 50 goals -- Ties 5
2016 (MLS):
5/13: DC 2, NYR 0 (Saborio 20; Nyarko 43)
8/21: DC 2, NYR 2 (Sarvas 70; Mullins 73 - B. Wright-Phillips 38; Martins 64)
- The teams are meeting for the third time this season. Bradley Wright-Phillips and Felipe Martins gave the Red Bulls a two-goal lead, but Marcelo Sarvas netted goals three minutes apart to leave the teams in a 2-2 draw Aug. 21 at RFK Stadium. On May 13 at RFK Stadium, Alvaro Saborio and Patrick Nyarko each scored a goal and assisted on the otherís goal in a 2-0 United win, snapping a four-game winless streak in the series.
- The Red Bulls have a six-game undefeated streak going in regular season matches at Red Bull Arena, with four consecutive wins, including 2-0 victories in both meetings in Harrison last year. United have a five-game undefeated streak in the series alive at RFK Stadium, with three wins in that span.
- The teams play for the Atlantic Cup, awarded to the winner of the season series by supporters groups from both clubs. Theyíve met 86 times in all competitions over the years; New York has won 30 and United have won 43, including a 7-4-2 record in the postseason.
- Coaches record: Jesse Marsch vs. DC: P8 W3 L2 D3 Ö Ben Olsen vs. NYC: P16 W5 L7 D4
LAST MEETING (MLS):
- After a delay to the start of the match because of storms, the Red Bulls opened the scoring in the 38th minute, as Bradley Wright-Phillips used his first touch to redirect a pass from Mike Grella by D.C. goalkeeper Bill Hamid.
- The lead was then doubled in the 64th minute when a Wright-Phillips ball skipped through the area and found its way to Felipe Martins, who fired a low shot that beat Hamid inside the near post.
- United pulled a goal back in the 70th minute when Lloyd Sam was bundled over in the area and referee Ismail Elfath awarded the penalty kick, Marcelo Sarvas converting from the spot.
- The equalizer then came just three minutes later, Steven Birnbaum headed a corner kick back across the face of goal and Patrick Mullins nodding it home from close range.
- D.C. UNITED (4-1-4-1): Bill Hamid - Sean Franklin, Steve Birnbaum, Bobby Boswell, Taylor Kemp - Marcelo Sarvas - Lloyd Sam (Lamar Neagle 80), Jared Jeffrey (Nick DeLeon 65), Luciano Acosta, Patrick Nyarko - Patrick Mullins (Kennedy Igboananike 84).
- NEW YORK RED BULLS (4-2-3-1): Luis Robles - Chris Duvall, Ronald Zubar, Aurelien Collin, Kemar Lawrence - Felipe Martins, Sean Davis - Alex Muyl, Sacha Kljestan, Mike Grella (Daniel Royer 76) - Bradley Wright-Phillips (Gonzalo Veron 90).
