5 BOROUGH SPORTS

   VS. 

When:    11 pm on ESPN 2

Tonight is the second leg of the New York Red Bulls Play-off run.  They lost the first game 1-0 at home and must score 2 goals at least to find a way to advance to the next round.  The Red Bulls season has been very tumultuous.  They by far have one of the strongest rosters on paper in the MLS and this has not translated to the pitch.  They have not been able to score and are lacking a killer instinct.   The coach Hans Backe could possible be out of a job if the Red Bulls aren’t able to salvage the season tonight.  They have one of the most exciting prospects in the MLS in Juan Agudelo.  Backe did not even use him in the first leg and tonight his presence might be need.  We have seen for the US national team and even for the Red Bulls this young gun has come through the clutch.  With the Red Bulls season on the Brink do not be surprise if Agudelo gets subbed in the Second Half.

The Matchup: Well this is a dream scenario for the MLS.  They have the two biggest markets playing each other in a play-off series.  The stars of the MLS are being showcased right off.  The emotion is going to be running high.  Especially with the drama at the end of the last game.  Rafeal Marquez found himself in a scuffle with a few Galaxy stars including David Beckham.  These teams have a decent rivalry for being on opposite coasts and tonight should be one of the most exciting games of the season.

Keys for the Red Bulls: They MUST score early and often.  LA has one of the best fanbases in the league and its going to be a loud environment.  The Bulls already have their backs up against the wall and must take the 12th man out of play.  If they give up an early goal the season is defiantly over.  The Red Bulls have to dominate in possession.  This one aspect is crucial in setting up their game plan.  If they are able to accomplish this they might be able to squeak out the win.

In the end this is all a fan can ask for.  Win and advance or wait for next year.  This game is going to be exciting and if you haven’t followed the MLS yet tonight is the night to start.

This entry was posted on November 3, 2011 at 4:18 pm and is filed under Red Bulls. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.