Toronto FC vs. New York Red Bulls | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

Toronto FC vs. New York Red Bulls
2018 MLS Regular Season — Week 18
BMO Field — Toronto
July 1 - 4:30 pm ET
WATCH: FOX, TSN 1/3/4/5

For the first time since a contentious Eastern Conference Semifinal series and that now infamous halftime tunnel tussle, Toronto FC and the New York Red Bulls meet at BMO Field. Both teams, though, look vastly different several months removed from that incident.

The Red Bulls sit in third place in the Eastern Conference standings, five points behind Supporters Shield leaders Atlanta United after losing just once in their last nine league games.

The Reds, meanwhile, have just one win in their last five games, and are 14 points behind the Red Bulls and six below the playoff line in the East. Still, Toronto have lost just one of their last six league meetings with the Red Bulls (3W-2D), averaging 2.0 goals per game, per Opta.

Toronto FC

Toronto (4-8-3) didn’t look refreshed after a World Cup break, appearing gassed in the second half of a 2-1 loss to New York City FC at Yankee Stadium Sunday.

The start, though, was a positive one for the Reds, who took a 1-0 lead on Victor Vazquez's 37th-minute chip and were unlucky to not have a two-goal lead at the break after Jonathan Osorio hit the woodwork. But Jo Inge Berget struck for a second-half brace to lift NYCFC to the come-from-behind victory.

“First half was OK, I think both teams had a fair number of chances in the first half,” Greg Vanney said. “Again, I think, as a group, as the game progresses and evolves, we need to just continue as a group to evolve with the game, continuing to work through different guys showing up in different places, communicating to one another, continuing to work through the tough moments.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: None
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: F - Jozy Altidore (foot surgery), D - Drew Moor (quadricep strain), D - Chris Mavinga (hamstring strain), GK - Caleb Patterson-Sewell (elbow injury); DOUBTFUL: D - Ashtone Morgan (hamstring strain)

Projected Starting XI
(4-1-4-1, right to left)
GK: Alex Bono — Auro, Nick Hagglund, Gregory van der Wiel, Justin Morrow — Michael Bradley — Nicholas Hasler Jonathan Osorio, Victor Vazquez, Marky Delgado — Sebastian Giovinco

Notes: Vazquez has tallied a MLS-best four assists in the month of June. He had two assists in the first three months of the 2018 season. … Toronto FC have lost four of their last eight MLS matches (2W-2D). They lost five league games in all of 2017.

New York Red Bulls

New York (9-4-2) played with 10 men for nearly 60 minutes when Daniel Royer was sent off following Video Review, but the Red Bulls played with more energy than FC Dallas and came away with an impressive 3-0 victory at Red Bull Arena Saturday night.

Before Royer’s straight red card, Bradley Wright-Phillips scored his 11th goal of the season. Aaron Long doubled the Red Bulls' lead with a volley off a Sean Davis corner kick before halftime. Kemar Lawrence put the finishing touches on a quality win with his first of the season three minutes into the second half.

“What it was was a show of our character,” Jesse Marsch said. “We talk a lot around here about our style of play and our tactics and all the different things that we try to be about from a soccer, technical perspective. But this was more to do about the character of the group and their commitment and their mentality and their will on the day to play for each other and do whatever it was going to take.”

Suspended: M - Daniel Royer
Suspended after next caution: None
International duty: D - Fidel Escobar, D - Michael Murillo
Injury Report: OUT: D - Kyle Duncan (torn right ACL), M - Vincent Bezecourt (MCL sprain), GK - Ryan Meara (knee injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-2-3-1, right to left)
GK: Lus Robles — Connor Lade, Tim Parker, Aaron Long, Kemar Lawrence — Tyler Adams, Sean Davis — Florian Valot, Kaku, Alex Muyl — Bradley Wright-Phillips

Notes: Wright-Philips has scored 10 times in 13 career appearances against the Reds. He has scored more goals against just one MLS club (11 against NYCFC). … The Red Bulls are coming off a 3-0 win over FC Dallas last weekend, tied for their largest margin of victory in a league game where they have received a red card since 2010. They have lost just once in their last nine games in MLS play (6W-2D).

All-Time Series

Overall: Toronto FC 8 wins, 33 goals … New York Red Bulls 13 wins, 54 goals … 7 draws
At Toronto: Toronto FC 6 wins, 23 goals … Red Bulls 3 wins, 19 goals … 5 draws
Last meeting at Toronto: Toronto FC 4, New York Red Bulls 2 (Sept. 30, 2017)