New York Red Bulls vs. Sporting Kansas City | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

New York Red Bulls vs. Sporting Kansas City
2018 MLS Regular Season — Week 20
Red Bull Arena — Harrison
July 14 - 7 pm ET
WATCH: ESPN+, MLS LIVE on DAZN (Canada)

After a loss to their city rivals on Sunday, the New York Red Bulls look to bounce back when they return to Red Bull Arena to meet a Sporting Kansas City club that is winless in their last three games.

The Red Bulls saw their four-match unbeaten streak snapped at Yankee Stadium with the 1-0 defeat to New York City FC, while Sporting KC tied Toronto FC, 2-2, Saturday night after back-to-back losses at Montreal and Salt Lake.

New York Red Bulls

Maxi Moralez scored five minutes from full time to lift NYCFC to a 1-0 win and spoil Chris Armas’ debut as Red Bulls head coach. Armas took over on Friday for Jesse Marsch, who left to become the assistant coach at Red Bull Leipzig.

In a combative match that lacked much flow, it was a rare defensive gaffe by the Red Bulls (10-5-2) that proved decisive when second-half substitute Jonathan Lewis pressured center back Aaron Long and picked off an errant back by Tyler Adams. Lewis then slipped a pass to Moralez, who tapped home the winner.

“We had 320 passes, they had 376. There’s really no flow to that game tonight,” Armas said. “Actually I thought in the second half we had a little bit of flow to it and we had guys with courage and holding the ball and moving and wanting the ball. On a field that’s tight, it’s not always easy to want the ball.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: D - Tim Parker
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: M - Florian Valot (torn left ACL), D - Kyle Duncan (torn right ACL), M - Vincent Bezecourt (MCL sprain); DOUBTFUL: GK - Ryan Meara (knee injury)

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

Sporting Kansas City

Sporting (9-4-6) rallied from an early deficit after Jonathan Osorio gave TFC a 1-0 lead. Ilie Sanchez leveled from the penalty spot in the 57th minute and Johnny Russell gave SKC a 2-1 lead with his 100th career goal four minutes later.

But Sporting conceded the equalizer just eight minutes later when Jordan Hamilton scored to secure TFC a needed point for the visitors, while injury-riddled SKC have conceded at least two goals in each of their last three matches.

“I commend the guys. They’ve worked very hard,” Peter Vermes said. “They’ve dealt with a lot of adversity. We probably could have gotten three points. At the end of the day for us to get a point and fight back the way we did was excellent.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: None
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: M - Felipe Gutierrez (sports hernia surgery) D - Jimmy Medranda (knee injury), M/D - Cristian Lobato (knee injury), M - Gianluca Busio (hamstring injury); QUESTIONABLE: D - Amer Didic (hamstring injury), D - Ike Opara (hamstring injury), F - Khiry Shelton (knee injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-5-1, right to left)
GK: Tim Melia — Graham Zusi, Emiliano Amor, Matt Besler, Jaylin Lindsey — Johnny Russell, Yohan Croizet, Ilie Sanchez, Wan Kuzain, Gerso Fernandes — Diego Rubio

All-Time Series

Overall: New York Red Bulls 20 wins, 64 goals … Sporting Kansas City 21 wins, 69 goals … 13 draws
At New York: Red Bulls 11 wins, 31 goals … Sporting 6 wins, 26 goals … 8 draws
Last meting at New York: New York Red Bulls 0, Sporting Kansas City 2 (April 9, 2016)