New York Red Bulls vs. Orlando City SC | 2017 MLS Match Preview

Arielle Castillo

New York Red Bulls vs. Orlando City SC
2017 MLS Regular Season
Red Bull Arena – Harrison, NJ
August 12, 2017 – 7:30 pm ET
WATCH: MLS LIVE free match of the week

No one's going to go into this match-up, one of the biggest of the year at Red Bull Arena, turned to anything less than 11. The home side are riding a sharp turnaround in performance and morale (okay, save for the most recent New York Derby), with the Red Bulls sitting just behind bitter rivals New York City FC in the standings. Three points would almost close that gap and keep the momentum for the second half of the season going at a good clip. Visiting Orlando, meanwhile, sit just under the playoff line – but with some big-time off-season roster acquisitions (Dom Dwyer, Yoshi Yotun), the time to prove they can nab road points is now.

New York Red Bulls

Suspended: D Sal Zizzo
Suspended after next caution: F Bradley Wright-Phillips
International Duty: None
Injury Report: OUT – D Gideon Baah (broken leg, out for season), M Mike Grella (knee surgery, out for season), M Daniel Royer (knee injury), F Muhamed Keita (groin injury); QUESTIONABLE – D Aurelien Collin (hamstring injury); PROBABLE – D Connor Lade

Projected Starting XI
(3-4-3, right to left)
GK: Luis Robles – Damien Perinelle, Aaron Long, Connor Lade – Tyler Adams, Felipe, Sacha Kljestan, Kemar Lawrence – Alex Muyl, Bradley Wright-Phillips, Sean Davis

Notes: New York have a slight advantage after six meetings with Orlando (3W-2L-1D). However, Orlando won the most recent meeting 1-0 in Orlando.... The Red Bulls scored 11 goals through their first nine games this year including being shut out twice. Over their last two home games they have scored nine goals, allowing just one goal.

Orlando City SC

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: D Jose Aja, M Will Johnson
International Duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: D Jonathan Spector (knee injury); QUESTIONABLE: D Rafael Ramos (hamstring strain), D Kevin Alston (hamstring injury), D PC (adductor injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-4-2, right to left)
GK: Joe Bendik – Scott Sutter, Jose Aja, Tommy Redding, Donny Toia – Will Johnson, Antonio Nocerino, Cristian Higuita, Kaká – Cyle Larin, Dom Dwyer

Notes: After winning six of their first seven matches of the league campaign (1L), Orlando have now only won two of their last 16 games in MLS play (8L-6D).... Orlando have only scored one goal in the opening 15 minutes of second halves of MLS games this year, the fewest total in the league. Philadelphia (two goals) is the only other MLS team with less than three goals in the first 15 minutes of second halves in league play this year.