The seventh-seed New York Red Bulls have a momentous task ahead of them in the first round of the MLS playoffs in the form of second-seed Columbus Crew at Lower.com Field on Tuesday night.
The Red Bulls (11-14-9) play reigning MLS champion Columbus Crew (19-9-6) in the first round of a best-of-three series. The two played each other most recently on Decision Day, Oct. 19, in a 3-2 defeat for New York.
The Crew, who are on a three-match winning streak, went two ahead within 14 minutes through Aziel Jackson and Yevhen Cheberko, but captain Emil Forsberg scored a brace to tie up the game in the 87th minute. Defender Malte Amundsen unleashed a screamer to win the game for Columbus in the 97th minute.
“The team is in a good spot, we had a very good training session, and this is what we have to transfer onto the field,” Red Bulls head coach Sandro Schwarz said. “It’s a new game on Tuesday, and it’s a playoff game on the road, and it’s clear we need our best performance. I am very excited for my first playoff experience.”
Columbus has scored the second-most goals in the MLS this year with 72, are fourth in the league with 40 goals conceded, and boast a 100% record at home in the playoffs. Although he was kept quiet last week, Crew star striker Cucho Hernandez has bagged 19 goals and 13 assists in 27 matches and is in for the MLS MVP award alongside Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi. Furthermore, Crew head coach Wilfried Nancy has not lost an opening MLS playoff fixture in his coaching career.
The Red Bulls have a poor record against Columbus, winning 36 games in 91 played, having drawn 13 times and lost 42. New York has three notches in the win column in its last 15 matches, which has coincided with Forsberg’s injury on Swedish national team duty, and will need everyone fit and firing. Forsberg is back fully fit and will be looking to combine with top scorer Lewis Morgan again after both had 32 goal contributions between the pair.
New York is 9-8-8 against fellow Eastern Conference teams and has the sixth-worst defensive record but fifth-best goals-scored record in the conference.
Schwarz has experimented with different formations in recent weeks, playing a diamond in midfield against Columbus, switching to a back-three in a 2-1 defeat to Atlanta United and their trusted 4-4-2 in a 4-1 win against Toronto.
“You need a good structure and you have to be ready in details, in set pieces, in these moments,” said Schwarz. “It’s do-or-die.”
The first match of the first round is set for 6:45 p.m. ET kickoff, and will play the second leg at the Red Bull Arena this Sunday at 4:30 p.m. If a third leg is required, it will be played Sunday, Nov. 10.
