HARRISON, N.J. – The New York Red Bulls are on the verge of clinching a playoff berth, but do not expect them to rest on their laurels during the final two games of regular season.
The Red Bulls put one foot through the door to the postseason on Saturday night with a relatively easy 3-1 victory over Toronto FC, but talk after the Eastern Conference tilt for New York was not about how they virtually accomplished one of their goals by prolonging the season.
Instead, it centered around how the Red Bulls want to make the most of their final two matches to potentially leapfrog some of the higher-seeded teams and finish above their current fourth-place standing.
“We’re in a great position, but I’m not looking behind us. I’m looking ahead,” said midfielder Lloyd Sam, who assisted on the third goal vs. Toronto. “Obviously, fourth and fifth play that play-in game. We’re chasing who’s in front of us. Two games left, you never know where we can end up, but it will be great if we can move up the table.”
New York used a three-goal first half at Red Bull Arena on Saturday night to put themselves in that great position ahead of next Sunday’s home game against the Columbus Crew and the season finale on the road vs. Sporting Kansas City on Oct. 26.
The closing 45 minutes still required the Red Bulls – who were short a few starters due to international call-ups and a suspension - to clamp down and thwart a stronger showing from a Toronto side desperate to keep its season alive. But New York's solid performance on the night was not surprising given that they have been on impressive run of form that has seen them go 5-1-1 dating back to the start of September.
“They’ve really come together over the last month or so, especially at home,” said head coach Mike Petke. “I just think this is a team that needs to sense things, they need to smell things, for lack of a better term. What they’ve sensed and smelled over the last month is that season’s coming to an end, we’re not where we wanted to be, and our goal is to make the playoffs.
“I feel that big players step up in circumstances like that and so far over the last month we have and hopefully that will continue. I’m still gunning for third place.”
For New York to realistically accomplish that, they will have to win both their last games. That’s no easy task given that their opponents are also in the midst of jockeying for playoff positioning.
Still, it something the Red Bulls are focused on achieving, especially since they could finish as high as second if a few other results go their way down the stretch.
“It puts us in a great spot,” said goalkeeper Luis Robles. “We knew going into the last three games that two were at home – so it’s a huge advantage that we need to take advantage of – and I feel by winning today it puts us in a good position for the last two games.”
Franco Panizo covers the New York Red Bulls for MLSsoccer.com. He can be reached by email at Franco8813@gmail.com.
