Two MLS teams struggling in the bottom half of the Eastern Conference do battle at the Red Bull Arena on Thursday as New York Red Bulls play host to Charlotte FC.
While the hosts have won only two of their last six matches in all competitions, the visitors have come out on top in just one of their last six games during the same period.
Match preview
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Three days after securing a slender 1-0 away victory over basement club Inter Miami, New York Red Bulls suffered a disappointing 3-0 defeat at home against Orlando City in their most recent match just over two weeks ago.
After Ivan Angulo scored an 18th-minute opener for Orlando, the Red Bulls were reduced to 10 men when Andres Reyes was shown a second yellow card just two minutes after the break, before Facundo Torres netted a second-half brace to condemn the visitors to their sixth league defeat of the campaign.
Since replacing Gerhard Struber at the beginning of May, 39-year-old boss Troy Lesesne has won four of his first eight games in charge, but has suffered defeat in three of his last four in all competitions, including a 5-3 penalty-shootout loss to FC Cincinnati in the last 16 of the US Open Cup.
New York Red Bulls finished fourth in the Eastern Conference last year, but the three-time MLS champions find themselves sitting 12th in the current standings after 17 matches, seven points behind the Final Series qualification spots.
The Red Bulls have won just four of their last 10 home matches in all tournaments, but they have come out on top in both previous home meetings with Charlotte, including a 2-0 success last October.
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After enjoying a four-match winning streak at the beginning of May, Charlotte FC have since won only one of their last six games in all competitions, and have failed to pick up maximum points in any of their last three MLS fixtures.
Back-to-back away defeats against Philadelphia Union and Columbus Crew were followed by an entertaining 3-3 home draw with Seattle Sounders a week last Sunday, with Patrick Agyemang coming off the substitutes' bench to net an 89th-minute equaliser and rescue a point for the Crown.
Christian Lattanzio's men, who finished ninth in their debut Eastern Conference campaign last year, currently sit 10th in the table this term, three points clear of Thursday's opponents New York Red Bulls and four points adrift of Orlando in seventh.
Charlotte will hope to turn their fortunes around in the coming weeks as they embark on a run of three successive fixtures against teams currently placed in the bottom half of the Eastern Conference, with a trip to the Red Bull Arena followed by encounters with Montreal CF and New York City FC.
The Crown have only won three of their 10 away matches in all competitions since the 2023 season began, while their only victory against New York Red Bulls came in June last year – a 2-0 home win courtesy of strikes from Ben Bender and Derrick Jones.
Team News
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New York Red Bulls will be without the suspended Andres Reyes, but Cameron Harper is available to return from his one-match ban and could be tasked with filling in at left-back in the absence of John Tolkin who is away on international duty with the USA.
Jamaican forward Cory Burke is also away on international duty, while Steven Sserwadda (knee), Serge Ngoma and Omir Fernandez (both hamstring) all remain sidelined through injury.
The absence of Burke will likely see either Dante Vanzeir or Tom Barlow lead the line, while it remains to be seen whether midfielder Cristian Casseres, who did not represent Venezuela on Sunday, will be available for selection.
As for Charlotte, Hamady Diop (abdominal), Enzo Copetti, Kamil Jozwiak (both thigh) and George Marks (leg) are all ruled out through injury, while Karol Swiderski and Bill Tuiloma are away on international duty with Poland and New Zealand respectively.
Derrick Jones will serve a one-match suspension due to an accumulation of yellow cards, so Jan Sobocinski could be recalled to start at centre-back alongside Adilson Malanda.
Former Burnley and Aston Villa midfielder Ashley Westwood should continue in centre-midfield with Brandt Bronico and Ben Bender, while the absence of both Copetti and Swiderski is set to see Patrick Agyemang start up front.
New York Red Bulls possible starting lineup:
Carlos; Duncan, D. Nealis, S. Nealis, Harper; Stroud, Amaya; Luquinhas, Yearwood, Barlow; Vanzeir
Charlotte FC possible starting lineup:
Kahlina; Lindsey, Sobocinski, Malanda, Afful; Westwood, Bronico, Bender; Vargas, Agyemang, Meram
We say: New York Red Bulls 2-2 Charlotte FC
Both New York Red Bulls and Charlotte will be desperate to return to winning was and boost their chances of securing at least a top-seven finish in the Eastern Conference, but with little to separate these two teams, a score draw could be on the cards at the Red Bull Arena.
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Oliver Thomas
