MATCH INFORMATION
- New York Red Bulls vs. Colorado Rapids
- Red Bull Arena, Harrison, N.J.
- April 29, 2015 7:30 p.m. ET (WEEK 9, MLS Game #76)
- MSG │ MLS Live
- #NYvCOL
SETTING THE SCENE
The New York Red Bulls conclude a three-game home stand on Wednesday, April 29, with a matchup against a third straight Western Conference foe in the Colorado Rapids. Kickoff at Red Bull Arena is set for 7:30 p.m. The match will be broadcast on MSG, with coverage starting at 7 p.m. ET.
Tickets for Red Bulls home games are available by visiting: www.newyorkredbulls.com/tickets.
This match will be the first and only contest between the two sides in 2015. The two clubs drew 1-1 in the Red Bulls home opener a season ago with goals from Thierry Henry and Vicente Sanchez.
The Red Bulls are coming off of a 1-1 draw against reigning MLS Cup champions LA Galaxy while the Rapids also drew 1-1 at home against FC Dallas. This will be the third straight game for New York at home. The three-game set at Red Bull Arena began with a 2-0 win over the San Jose Earthquakes on April 17. This will be the Red Bulls second home match in four days.
LAST FIVE REGULAR SEASON MEETINGS (1-2-2)
- 5/25/11: DRAW NYRB 2-2 COL @ Red Bull Arena
- 7/20/11: LOSS COL 4-1 NYRB @ Dick's Sporting Goods Park
- 3/25/12: WIN NYRB 4-1 COL @ Red Bull Arena
- 7/4/13: LOSS COL 2-0 NYRB @ Dick's Sporting Goods Park
- 3/15/14: DRAW NYRB 1-1 COL @ Red Bull Arena
PRE-MATCH FACTS
- The Rapids (0-2-2) have not won at Red Bull Arena since its inaugural season in 2010.
- The Red Bulls 3-0-3 start is the longest undefeated run to start the season in team history.
- Red Bulls forward Bradley Wright-Phillips' three assists are tied for third most in MLS this season.
- The Red Bulls remain the only undefeated team in the league this season. Their five goals against and two points per game are both tied for league bests while New York's +5 goal differential is tied for second-best in MLS in 2015.
- With the draw against LA, New York is now 34-7-13 since the start of the 2012 MLS season.​ The 115 points accumulated at home in that span are the most in Major League Soccer.
- Red Bulls midfielder Felipe is set to make his 100th MLS appearance against Colorado.
NEW YORK RED BULLS
The Red Bulls (3-0-3), sit in third place in the Eastern Conference behind D.C. United and New England Revolution—with a game in hand of D.C. and two games in hand on New England—after Sunday's 1-1 draw at home against LA Galaxy. An impressive solo goal from 18-year-old Bradford Jamieson opened the scoring in the ninth minute for LA with a second half equalizer coming off the head of Felipe for New York in the 58th minute.
NYRB will look to continue their home dominance so far this season, having won their first two matches at RBA by a score of 2-0 before last weekend's draw. New York has looked sharp at the back at home, only conceding the lone goal to LA in three matches.
This is the healthiest the Red Bulls have been since the start of the season, and it comes at a crucial time with the team playing three games in a span of six days [LA 4/26, Colorado 4/29, New England 5/2]. Defender Roy Miller was in New York's 18-man roster on Sunday against the Galaxy but was not used in the match. Miller has not played since the first contest of the season on the road in Kansas City.
Fellow defender Ronald Zubar also has not played since the first match, but could be featured in the lineup this week.
Midfielder Lloyd Sam left New York's 2-0 victory over San Jose on April 17th with a hamstring injury but started the match against LA on Sunday. Head coach Jesse Marsch substituted Sam in the 67th minute citing that the Englishman wasn't at peak fitness.
This will be the final match of New York's three game home stand before the team travels to New England to face the Revolution this Saturday May 2 at 7:30 p.m. EDT.
COLORADO RAPIDS
The Rapids are off to a 1-2-4 start, but have played well on the road this season (1-0-2), earning five of their seven points away from Dick's Sporting Goods Park. The win came in a resounding 4-0 rout of FC Dallas earlier this month. Their toughness will be tested as the team will play games on both coasts in a matter of four days, starting with New York on Wednesday and ending with Los Angeles on Saturday.
Colorado played FC Dallas for the second time in three weeks on Friday night, this time settling for a 1-1 draw. A 31st minute strike from Mauro Diaz opened the scoring for Dallas, but a second-half red card for Dallas forward Blas Perez opened the game up for the Rapids. New Jersey native Nick LaBrocca was able to equalize with the man advantage.
Goals have been at a premium for Colorado this season, but the club has found the back of the net in each of their past three games since failing to score in the first four matches. After a four goal explosion against Dallas on April 10, the Rapids scored one goal in the past two contests including a 3-1 defeat to Seattle on April 18. Colorado was held scoreless in its only other trip to the East Coast this season, a 0-0 draw against Philadelphia on opening day. The scoring has been well spread out for Colorado this season with Gabriel Torres leading the team with two goals, and four players being tied with one goal apiece.
Although the Rapids currently hold the final spot in the Western Conference, the club is at the top of the table in a few of the league's statistical categories. Colorado's six goals allowed is the second fewest in the Western Conference, trailing only Seattle Sounders FC. Meanwhile, the Rapids' impressive +4 road goal differential is the best in Major League Soccer this season.
PREGAME CHATTER
Head coach Jesse Marsch on dealing with three games in a week…
"We want to make sure that all the players that played major minutes [against LA] handle themselves physically in the right way to give themselves the best chance on Wednesday. We have some guys that I think have been earning some playing time that haven’t quite got it yet because of the way the schedule has worked out."
Colorado Rapids Midfielder Nick LaBrocca on facing New York and Los Angeles this week…
"Especially against two big name teams, it takes character to beat them. I think we have that, and just need to keep rolling with it. Eventually, everything will start going our way as long as we stick to the plan."
