New York Red Bulls vs. DC United | 2020 MLS Match Preview

2020 MLS Regular Season – Week 9
New York Red Bulls vs. D.C. United
Red Bull Arena – Harrison
September 2 – 7:30 PM ET

STREAMING: MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in US, on DAZN in Canada

LOCAL TV: WJLA 24/7 News, MSG

The oldest rivalry in MLS is renewed Wednesday night when D.C. United travel up I-95 to meet the New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena.

D.C. United are desperate for three points, losing three of their last four in a six-match winless streak. The Red Bulls bounced back from 1-0 loss to the Philadelphia Union to earn a 1-1 draw against the New England Revolution Saturday night.

This is the 80th all-time regular season meeting between the foes. D.C. United lead the series 34W-30L-15D, but the Red Bulls are unbeaten in the last 10 regular season games and are 7-1-5 against D.C. in the regular season since Red Bull Arena was built.

New York Red Bulls

Head coach Chris Armas gave some of the team's younger players a chance following a 1-0 midweek loss to the Union, and the choice paid off after Fernandez and fellow Homegrown Ben Mines combined for the game's first goal in the 27th minute. The Red Bulls' lead only lasted six minutes, with Revolution standout Gustavo Bou scoring in the 35th minute.

Despite conceding the equalizer in short order, and the late red card to defender Tim Parker, Armas was pleased with his team's performance in earning a point at a venue that has historically given them nightmares.

"I told them before the game we want to get the result and get the three points for sure. Above all, we step on the field with a total belief and commitment to going after the game and sticking to who we are. For that I’m pleased," Armas said. "We put out a really young team tonight, guys. In terms, some of it is aged based, some of it is MLS experience based."

Updated team roster
Injury Report:
- OUT: None
Suspended: Tim Parker (D)
Suspended after next caution: None
International duty: None

D.C. United

The good news for D.C. United is Julian Gressel finally scored his first goal for the club Saturday night against the Union. The bad news is it came with the team trailing 4-0. The Black-and-Red are black and blue with injuries to several key players and played without the first-choice center back tandem of Steve Birnbaum and Frederic Brillant, as well as goalkeeper Bill Hamid, who Ben Olsen said "needed a few days for some personal stuff."

Hamid was back to the training Tuesday and Birnbaum and Brillant are again questionable. A host of injuries has opened the doors for some of the club's Homegrown players, like 16-year-old Moses Nyeman, who made his MLS debut off the bench. But whether it's Homegrown players or cagey veterans, Olsen said he needs to see more collectively against the Red Bulls.

"The game against Philly was way too easy," he told reporters Tuesday. "And I don't care who we put on the field. The collectiveness and the group defending has to be better than what we did in the opening moments of that Philly game.”

Updated team roster
Injury Report:
- OUT: Paul Arriola (M) - ACL injury
- OUT: Edison Flores (M) - facial injury
- OUT: Russell Canouse (D) - hamstring injury
- QUESTIONABLE: Steven Birnbaum (D) - undisclosed injury
- QUESTIONABLE: Frédéric Brillant (D) - undisclosed injury
- QUESTIONABLE: Chris Odoi-Atsem (D) - undisclosed injury
Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: None
International duty: None