DC United is heading up Interstate 95 to Red Bull Arena to face off against the New York (Jersey) Red Bulls in a match that is sure to be a showdown. Both teams have star studded rosters and just completed a rare major mid-season trade with each other. Did I mention they also love each other very much? The fans on both sides are excited. Friends on Twitter were declaring their distaste for both sides. One Red Bull fan (@RabbitRouse) tweeted “I hope Charlie Davies isn’t driving the DC United bus cuz it will crash.” Welcome to the I-95 rivalry.
The Red Bulls head into this match with their heads held high. Earlier this season, they came to RFK Stadium and issued a 4-0 beat down that every United fan would love to forget about. Then you have earlier this week where the Red Bulls took on Toronto FC and won 5-0. Thierry Henry and Luke Rodgers are both back from injury and sickness, and US international youngster Juan Agudelo seems to be improving with every match. Yes, it is good to be a Red Bull fan right now. It seems hilarious that only two years ago, they were one of the worst teams in MLS, yet they are back with a vengeance, eager to earn their first trophy. It pains me as a DC fan to say this, but they have a good chance.
On the good side, newcomers Dwayne De Rosario and Brandon McDonald have been settling in with the team. Both of them will be key players in this weekend’s match and will have to have standout games for DC to win. The biggest factor for DC this weekend will be the young defense against Henry and Rodgers. Can they handle the pressure this time in Red Bull Arena? That question may have influenced the move to bring McDonald into the mix, so they could compete with some of these teams like New York (Jersey) and half of the Western Conference teams who have dangerous attacking players. DC has also received some good news this week as Dejan Jakovic and Marc Burch have been upgraded to probable. Burch has been putting in some solid minutes in recent reserve matches which is a great sign as he recovers from a hamstring injury.
This match has a good chance to turn into a goal fest. Both clubs are boasting powerful attacking options. Will New York hang five goals on DC just like Toronto? I seriously doubt it, as our talent on the backline is better than that now. I don’t think we’ll see a shut-out for Hamid either. The Red Bulls attack is just too good but New York (Jersey) fans shouldn’t get too confident yet. DC is a dangerous team capable of beating anyone this year. From beating Portland at their place, winning against Seattle at RFK, and being “that team” that LA was unable to beat makes DC a formidable foe. This game is very much up for grabs to the team who wants it most. After being humiliated at home, does DC look for revenge Or do the Red Bulls keep rolling on and adding to their league best 34 goals scored? Tune in on Saturday night at 7:30 PM eastern time on Matchday Live (via mlssoccer.com) to find out!
(image courtey of dcunited.com)
