MLS New York Red Bulls

Match Preview: New York and Atlanta Clash in Eastern Conference Championship

Published on November 23, 2018 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
New York Red Bulls News Release


HARRISON, N.J. - The New York Red Bulls and Atlanta United FC, the top-two teams in the East, will begin their two-legged Eastern Conference Championship on Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 5 p.m. ET with coverage on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and New York Red Bulls Radio in English and Spanish on TuneIn.

New York Red Bulls Radio begins at 4:30 p.m. ET with Honda Countdown to Kickoff, hosted by Matt Harmon and Steve Jolley. Ernesto Motta will carry the Spanish play-by-play, beginning at 5 p.m.

Sunday's match will be the first time New York and Atlanta meet in the MLS Cup Playoffs. The Red Bulls took the 2018 regular-season series with an unblemished 2-0 mark and outscoring their opponent, 5-1. Daniel Royer's tally along with a Bradley Wright-Phillips brace helped New York win the away match, while Royer and Tim Parker each scored at Red Bull Arena to grab the home victory against Atlanta. Royer has scored in three of the four matches against Atlanta.

Wright-Phillips is not only known for his regular-season scoring clip of 0.62 goals/game (106 goals in 171 games played), but he has carried that prowess into the playoffs. In 17 playoff matches, the English striker has recorded nine goals, including five game-winning tallies. Wright-Phillips has tallied at least one goal in each Red Bulls postseason run since 2013.

Royer had a memorable Leg 2 match against Columbus Crew SC in the Eastern Conference Semifinals as he had a hand in all three goals to help New York advance. The Austrian winger became the first player in club history to record a brace and an assist in a playoff match. In 80 matches across all competition, Royer has tallied six braces, four in league matches, one in U.S. Open Cup and one in MLS Playoffs.

The second leg of the Eastern Conference Championship between New York and Atlanta is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 29 at Red Bull Arena. Thursday's kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET with coverage on FS1, FOX Deportes and New York Red Bulls Radio in English and Spanish on TuneIn.

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