The second leg of the Eastern Conference Semifinals between the New York Red Bulls and D.C. United will be played in our nation’s capital on Saturday, November 8 at 2:30 p.m. ET (TV: NBC). The Red Bulls took a 2-0 lead at home last weekend and will secure a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals with a win, draw, or even a loss depending on the scoreline.
This weekend’s matchup marks the fifth and final game between the Atlantic Cup rivals in 2014. The Red Bulls are 2-2-0 against D.C. in four matches thus far, and have won their last two competitions versus United.
Since 2003, 12 teams have entered the second leg of a playoff series with a two goal lead: ten of them went on to win the series. The leading teams have a 4-5-3 record in the second leg, and a team trailing by two goals has overturned the advantage and won the series just twice in MLS history (San Jose, 2003; Kansas City, 2004).
New York Red Bulls head coach Mike Petke on the key to success in Saturday’s match:
“It’s about mindset to me. We could talk about tactics all we want, but to me it’s about guts, it’s about desire, it’s about passion, all those words that are thrown around, but not many people actually step up to the plate and possess those. I need my guys to possess those type of characteristics…it’s more about how much do you want it.”
Bradley Wright-Phillips’ three goals in the MLS Cup Playoffs gives him 30 on the year. The MLS Golden Boot winner is only three goals behind Roy Lassiter’s 33 combined goals in 1996. Wright-Phillips has scored five goals in the last three games.
New York’s midfield has also been a major factor toward their recent positive form. Thierry Henry and Peguy Luyindula have a collective one goal and five assists in Red Bulls’ two playoff matches. The Frenchmen even combined for the goal that clinched the first leg win.
The defense has seen many different combinations this season, but Petke’s back four of Eckersley, Miller, Olave, and Sekagya have started the last three games. This back line has allowed just one goal and won all three matches they’ve started.
New York Red Bulls forward Thierry Henry on the approach to the second leg:
“It’s a game that we’re going to approach like we need to win and not concede a goal. Like we’re going there to play a league game…you have to go there and play it like its nil-nil and try to play our game.”
For D.C. United, the second leg at home presents both opportunity and danger by being at home. Although there is an advantage to playing in front of their supporters, allowing even one Red Bull goal would severely damage their chances of advancing to the Conference Finals.
Be sure to watch D.C. goalkeeper Bill Hamid this weekend, as his play could make or break the series. The U.S. international finished the MLS season with 110 saves, enough for fourth most in the league. Hamid also boasts the second lowest goals against average of any goalkeeper who has played 25 or more games with 1.13.
Ex-Red Bull Fabian Espindola will also need a big performance in a game where they will need multiple goals to have a chance of moving on to the next round. He is the joint leading goal scorer at United with 11 goals, one of which was against New York, and leads the team in assists with 9.
The second leg of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on Saturday, November 8 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. will begin at 2:30 p.m. ET (TV: NBC).
