Philadelphia Union will renew their rivalry with New York Red Bulls on Saturday evening when they face their I-95 foes for a second time this season. Don't miss the action on MLS Season Pass starting at 7:30PM ET!
Led by Head Coach Sandro Schwarz, who signed on in the offseason, the Red Bulls remain the only unbeaten team at home in MLS this season, and Philadelphia Union will look to snap that streak in pursuit of all three points. Saturday’s match marks the final fixture before another international break, and with just eight regular season matches remaining, every matchup ahead is a high-stakes one.
Philadelphia currently sits one spot below the playoff line with 27 points, and although the team is close to the cut-off, Montreal also has 27 points, and the four teams below them are close by with 26, making for a congested bottom of the Eastern Conference table.
Under Schwarz, New York Red Bulls have earned a spot near the top of the Eastern Conference table at fourth place with 10 wins, 4 losses, and 12 draws. So far this season, 27-year-old Scottish MLS veteran Lewis Morgan has led their attack with 12 goals and four assists. Marquee offseason signing Emil Forsberg was an early season force as well, but the Swedish Designated Player isn't expected to contribute on Saturday due to an injury that’s left him out of MLS play since June. A player to watch for the Red Bulls side is Dante Vanzeir, who’s become a frequent facilitator with nine assists so far this season.
New York Red Bulls haven’t been beaten in their last nine Major League Soccer matches, and they’ll enter this weekend’s following a draw against Charlotte FC on Saturday. Philadelphia Union has played two games since then, first falling to Colorado Rapids in penalties in Sunday’s Leagues Cup Third-Place match, then dropping their first game back to league play 1-0 against Columbus Crew.
The last time the New York and Philadelphia met was for a scoreless draw in July, but Philadelphia Union’s lineup will look different this time around. Three-time Goalkeeper of the Year Andre Blake has since returned from injury and his impact on his team’s performance has been unmatched. Although Philadelphia Union recently announced the departures of midifielder José Martinez and Damion Lowe, they’ve added in new faces like Sam Adeniran and Danley Jean-Jacques.
