Following two consecutive home matches, Atlanta United is now on the road for the next two matches. With only five matches to go in the regular season, every match is crucial in the battle for one of the final playoff spots in the Eastern Conference. The 5-Stripes sit just one point out of the ninth and final playoff spot. The Red Bulls are in fifth place, tied on points with fourth-place Orlando City as they battle for home field advantage in the first round of the upcoming postseason. Atlanta secured a 2-2 draw against Inter Miami in midweek action, while New York didn’t play in midweek. Red Bull Arena historically has not been a stadium in which the 5-Stripes have had a lot of success. They will look for their first-ever victory in that stadium on Saturday night. Let’s take a look at the Tools to the Match presented by Home Depot against New York Red Bulls.
Score early to set the tone for road match
One of the ways a road team can come out and set the tone for the match is scoring early. This season, New York has given up 10 goals in the opening 15 minutes of a match. That’s tied for the worst mark in the league coming into Saturday. On the flip side, Atlanta has only scored two goals in the opening 15 minutes of a match, with only Chicago Fire sitting behind them for fewest goals in that time frame. When Atlanta scores in the first half and takes that lead to halftime, they are 5-0-1 (W-L-T) this season. If Atlanta can come out early and take advantage of some Red Bulls mistakes to grab the lead, they could set themselves up for a big road victory on Saturday night.
Be aware of set pieces and New York’s difference makers
The Red Bulls have been a little bit different team this season than in previous years. With the addition of Swedish international Emil Forsberg, they feature a true difference maker that can change the game at any moment. With him drawing attention, it has allowed other players like Lewis Morgan to thrive. Morgan leads the team with 12 goals and four assists. Forsberg has added six goals and three assists in just 15 matches played. Atlanta’s defense will need to pay close attention to both of those players on Saturday night.
New York has also excelled on set pieces this season. They have scored 14 goals on set pieces, with six of those coming from corner kicks. Atlanta has conceded seven goals off corner kicks this year, making this one of the potential matchups to watch.
Match the home team’s intensity from the first minute
The Red Bulls organization and clubs throughout the world have a very distinct style of play. They bring a lot of intensity and energy from the jump. The high pressing has caused trouble for many teams throughout the years, including Atlanta United. Atlanta has to match that intensity from the opening whistle. The Red Bulls are not a team you want to fall behind to early, because they will keep up that pressure for the full 90 minutes.
The 5-Stripes' passing accuracy routinely is below its season average when they face New York. Atlanta’s newest DP, Alexey Miranchuk, should be one of the outlets the team looks to find early and often on Saturday. The midfielder’s calmness on the ball and incisive passing could help unlock New York’s pressure and allow Atlanta to transition quickly into attack. If they can play through the Red Bulls’ high press, they should be able to create scoring chances in the match.
Fans can tune in on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV on Saturday night at 7:30 pm ET when the action kicks off at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey. To hear the action on radio, tune into Sports Radio 92.9 The Game (English) or La Mejor – AM 1600 (Spanish).
