MLS New York Red Bulls

Match Preview: New York Red Bulls at Real Salt Lake for Wednesday Clash

Published on June 21, 2016 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
New York Red Bulls News Release


HARRISON, N.J. - The New York Red Bulls are in Sandy, Utah tomorrow night to face Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto Stadium. Kickoff between the second-place team in the East and third-place team in the West is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET, with coverage on MSG, MSG GO, and Red Bulls Radio.

New York will look to win a fifth-straight in MLS, and sixth consecutive across all competitions, against a Salt Lake side that is undefeated at home (4-0-1).

The Red Bulls picked up where they left off last week, adding a 1-0 victory in the U.S. Open Cup and a 2-0 victory over the Seattle Sounders at Red Bull Arena to extend the winning streak from the end of May, before MLS broke for the group stage of the Copa America Centenario.

New York, backstopped by Luis Robles, has kept clean sheets in five-straight contests, including the Open Cup victory over the Rochester Rhinos (United Soccer League) last Wednesday. The team has not allowed a goal in 407 minutes in MLS play, just five minutes short of the longest streak in the league this season, currently held by the Chicago Fire and goalkeeper Matt Lampson.

Robles has kept the clean sheets while continuing his league-record iron man streak, now at 121 consecutive, complete regular season games played. He made three saves last weekend against Seattle to extend his franchise records for career wins (57) and shutouts (33).

Mike Grella scored a brace against the Sounders, one in each half, and now has six goals on the season. Bradley Wright-Phillips leads the team with eight goals after netting five in the previous two MLS games, two against New York City FC on May 21, and a club-record fourth-career hat trick against Toronto FC on May 28.

Sacha Kljestan got the winner to see the Red Bulls into the U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 (next Wednesday, June 29, at Philadelphia) on a penalty kick. Kljestan has two goals in MLS this season, and leads the league with 10 assists.

Salt Lake enters at 7-4-1, and as mentioned above, is undefeated at home this season. New York is 5-5-8 all-time against RSL, but has never won in Utah (0-4-5) since Salt Lake joined MLS in 2005.

The Red Bulls are undefeated in the last three meetings, taking wins at Red Bull Arena in 2013 and 2015, and earning a 1-1 draw in 2014, the last visit to Rio Tinto.

Three players, Joao Plata, Juan Martinez and Yura Movsisyan have each netted five for RSL, while Plata also has six assists, tied for second-most in the league behind Kljestan.

After Wednesday, the Red Bulls continue on to Columbus, for a meeting with Crew SC on Saturday, June 29. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET, with coverage on MSG, MSG GO and Red Bulls Radio on TuneIn.

New York is next home for a friendly against Liga MX side Club America on Wednesday, July 6, and hosts the Portland Timbers on Sunday, July 10.

Tickets for all Red Bulls home matches are available by visiting www.NewYorkRedBulls.com/tickets or calling 1.877.727.6223.

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Major League Soccer Stories from June 21, 2016


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