MLS Play Off Preview Part Two: Red Bulls Face Off In Philly
Red Bulls feel at home in Chester, battle Union for first time in Audi 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs
The New York Red Bulls are readying for a road-heavy postseason, and if there is one locale away from Red Bull Arena that has breathed success, it is Talen Energy Stadium in Chester, Pa. The Philadelphia Union host the Red Bulls on Sunday in Round 1 of the Audi 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs, and it will mark the first time they have faced each other in the postseason (3 p.m. ET, FS1 / FOX Deportes / TSN4 / TVA Sports 2).
The Red Bulls are an impressive 4-2-2 over their past eight matches in Chester, a track record that bodes well for the new knockout postseason format. That said, the Union have 10 home victories to their name during the 2019 regular season and are enjoying one of their most successful campaigns in their 10-year history. The matchup also features a pair of former Chicago Fire teammates managing their Eastern Conference sides: Chris Armas for the Red Bulls and Jim Curtin – a finalist for the Sigi Schmid MLS Coach of the Year award – of the Union.
On the pitch, Red Bulls striker Bradley Wright-Phillips has shined against Philadelphia to the tune of seven goals in 14 games. His counterpart, 26-year-old Kacper Przybylko, finished tied for fifth in MLS this year with 15 goals, though he was kept off the score sheet in his previous meetings against the Red Bulls. Are Przybylko and this year’s Union primed to change their track record against the Red Bulls, or will their Eastern Conference rivals continue to thrive in Pennsylvania?
No. 2 Seattle hopes to repeat recent home dominance against No. 7 FC Dallas
Seattle Sounders FC have dominated FC Dallas at CenturyLink Field in recent years, as the club has a current nine-game unbeaten streak at home against its Western Conference foe. All-important homefield advantage could benefit No. 2 Sounders FC on Saturday when the teams square off in a single-elimination match in Round One of the Audi 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs (3:30 p.m. ET, FOX Sports / FOX Deportes / FOX Sports Live / TVA Sports / TSN.ca). You can also follow the action down under at the best online casinos nz
Jordan Morris and Cristian Roldan will look to carry over strong momentum from national team duty into the postseason, as both started in the U.S. Men’s National Team’s 7-0 victory over Cuba on Friday. The duo helped guide Seattle to a dominant 11-2-4 home record this season in MLS play.
FC Dallas will hope to overcome a 3-11-3 road mark this season off a mix of talented academy products and red-hot attackers. Five academy products in Reggie Cannon, Jesus Ferreira,Jesse Gonzalez, Paxton Pomykal and Brandon Servania each registered over 1,000 minutes for Dallas this season in addition to being called to the U.S. at the U-20 National Team level or higher this season. Forward Zdeněk Ondrášek meanwhile enters the matchup in an amazing run of form for both club and country, scoring seven goals over as many games in MLS play. The forward registered a goal and two assists over his first two matches for the Czech Republic, including scoring the game-winning goal against England in his national team debut on Friday. Keep up with all the latest play off odds at football betting sites
No. 6 Portland Timbers look to repeat road warrior status against youthful No. 3 RSL in Round 1
The Portland Timbers enter the Audi 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs in search of the same road magic that led them to the 2018 MLS Cup, as last year’s club used three crucial road performances to push them to their second MLS Cup appearance in four seasons. Portland enters the postseason as the No. 6 seed but finished 2019 with the second-best road record among all Western Conference teams. With four straight victories over Real Salt Lake, the Timbers will look to extend their recent run of form on both the road and against RSL on Saturday in Round 1 of the Audi 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs (10 p.m. ET, ESPNews / ESPN Deportes / WatchESPN / TSN4 / TVA Sports).
While Giovanni Savarese guided Portland to a magical run to MLS Cup in his first year in charge of the club, Real Salt Lake will be looking for its own boost from first-year front man and current interim coach Freddy Juarez. Juarez, who rose up the coaching ranks of RSL’s academy, helped RSL to a 12-4-1 home record and featured six academy products who registered over 1,000 minutes this season in Corey Baird, Justen Glad, Aaron Herrera,Brooks Lennon and Sebastian Saucedo.
Baird was called by the USMNT during the October FIFA window, while the other four along with 18-year-old goalkeeper David Ochoa were all called into the U.S. Men’s U-23 squad. Juxtaposing the young backline of Glad, Herrera and Lennon is iconic goalkeeper Nick Rimando, who will look to extend his record-breaking MLS career ahead of his already announced retirement after this season.
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