NEW YORK RED BULLS vs COLUMBUS CREW SC
RED BULL ARENA, Harrison, N.J.
October 3, 2015 (WEEK 31, MLS Game #309)
7 p.m. ET (MSG; TWCS-OH)
It’s a huge top-of-the-table match in the Eastern Conference when the New York Red Bulls entertain Columbus Crew SC on Saturday evening at Red Bull Arena. The teams enter the match separated by just a single point in the table, the Red Bulls holding down the top spot despite a 5-2 home loss to Orlando City SC last weekend, after becoming the first team to secure their spot in the Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs. Crew SC had their two-game home winning streak put to an end last weekend, falling 2-1 to the Portland Timbers, leaving them in a tie for second place in the East.
- The Red Bulls allowed five goals – the most by the club since a 5-4 defeat by the Chicago Fire on May 10, 2014 – in their 5-2 defeat by Orlando City SC on Friday evening at Red Bull Arena.
- Kei Kamara scored for a third consecutive match, but Crew SC saw their two-game winning run come to an end in a 2-1 home loss to the Portland Timbers on Saturday evening. Kamara now has 22 goals for the season, tied for the ninth-most in a single season in MLS history.
- The teams are meeting for the third time this season, each team winning once. Ethan Finlay scored goals on either side of halftime to lead Crew SC to a 2-1 win July 4 at Mapfre Stadium. Bradley Wright-Phillips and Mike Grella scored second-half goals as the Red Bulls claimed a 2-1 victory, March 28 in Columbus.
- Crew SC won 3-1 in the last match at Red Bull Arena, last Oct. 19, their first win at the Red Bulls since 2010. The Red Bulls had won two of the four home meetings in between, with two draws. The Red Bulls have taken points on five of their last seven visits to Columbus, dating back to 2011, with two victories there in that time.
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REFEREE: Alan Kelly. AR1 (bench): Matthew Nelson; AR2 (opposite): Peter Balciunas; 4th: Daniel Fitzgerald
MLS Career: 124 games; FC/gm: 25.3; Y/gm: 3.4; R: 10; pens: 12
SUSPENDED: NYR: Matt Miazga (through Oct. 18); Jesse Marsch (head coach; through Oct. 4)
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: NYR: Felipe Martins … CLB: Federico Higuain, Kei Kamara
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: NYR: Sacha Kljestan, Chris Duvall, Mike Grella, Lloyd Sam, Damian Perrinelle … CLB: Kevan George, Hector Jimenez, Emanuel Pogatetz, Justin Meram, Tony Tchani, Chris Klute
DISABLED LIST: CLB: Sagi Lev-Ari
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: NYR: Matt Miazga (USA; CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Championship) ... CLB: Wil Trapp (USA; CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Championship)
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (62 meetings): Red Bulls 27 wins (0 shootout), 87 goals … Crew SC 26 wins (0 shootout), 76 goals … Ties 9
AT NEW YORK (30 meetings): Red Bulls 15 wins (0 shootout), 45 goals … Crew SC 10 wins (0 shootout), 33 goals …Ties 5
2015 (MLS) 3/28: CLB 1, NYR 2 (Tchani 58 – Wright-Phillips 49; Grella 67)
7/4: CLB 2, NYR 1 (Finlay 33, 74 – Abang 8)
- The teams are meeting for the third time this season, each team winning once. Ethan Finlay scored goals on either side of halftime to lead Crew SC to a 2-1 win July 4 at Mapfre Stadium. Bradley Wright-Phillips and Mike Grella scored second-half goals as the Red Bulls claimed a 2-1 victory, March 28 in Columbus.
- Crew SC won 3-1 in the last match at Red Bull Arena, last Oct. 19, their first win at the Red Bulls since 2010.The Red Bulls had won two of the four home meetings in between, with two draws. The Red Bulls have taken points on five of their last seven visits to Columbus, dating back to 2011, with two victories there in that time.
- Coaches record: Jesse Marsch vs. CLB: P5 W2 L3 D0 … Gregg Berhalter vs. NYR: P5 W2 L2 D1
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CHECK OUT THE INJURY REPORT HEADING INTO THE MATCH
CHECK OUT THE DISCIPLINARY REPORT HEADING INTO THE MATCH
