Skip to main content

Playoff Destiny is Officially in the Hands of the Red Bulls

Photo by Matt Kremkau


By Daniel Feuerstein

And now the moment has finally arrived. After all the trials and tribulations, the New York Red Bulls have taken it all the way to the final match of the regular season, as decision day will show if they will take this moment and cross over that playoff line. For the majority of this season, the New York Red Bulls have been squirming behind the eight ball, hoping to create a long fruitful winning streak which hasn't come at all in league play, until the final matches on their schedule. 

There was a blip on the radar when Inter Miami and Charlotte FC had to reschedule their league game due to Inter Miami playing in the Leagues Cup final, and without Lionel Messi who was returning from World Cup Qualifying with Argentina, not suited up, it would be a late equalizer from Robbie Robinson being in a Leo Campana cross to share the points to force the Queen City club to join the pack with the Red Bulls and Chicago Fire, along with an eliminated DC United at 40 point.s.

The situation is very clear for the Red Bulls. Win and you are in. But here are the scenarios with the other matches going on simultaneously. At 6:00 PM Eastern time Montreal in eighth place and 41 Points will travel at the Columbus Crew, the Red Bulls will finish off their regular season at Nashville SC, Chicago Fire will be in Queens against NYCFC & Charlotte FC will host Inter Miami. For the Red Bulls to secure the eighth spot and host the Wild Card game, Montreal must lose or draw at the Crew.

You also have to hope Chicago Loses or draws in Queens, while Charlotte FC loses or draws at home against Inter Miami, and with Lionel Messi who looked good against Peru during their World Cup Qualifier and scored both goals, it looks like Charlotte will have a full crowd seeing the greatest footballer in the world. But if the Red Bulls draw they need a lot of help with certain results from the other games as well. 

Make no mistake everyone, the Red Bulls once again got themselves into this position by winning three of their last four games, we all know the loss to the Chicago Fire at home was a big stinker, but two consecutive road wins at DC United & at FC Cincinnati along with the home win against Toronto FC, and the shear luck of Charlotte losing two points in Miami has once again put them into this position for the possibility to qualify for a fourteenth consecutive time into the postseason. 

Without a doubt, this 2023 season has been one of the craziest seasons this club has ever performed in. Their two worst seasons were in 1999 and 2009, only recently they have been fluctuating trying to remain in a playoff spot, until this season. They are on their last gasp of air trying to put their heads above water. To be honest I never thought they were going to be in this position at all, but here they are. Getting ready for one more big moment against a team that has already clinched a playoff birth and trying to finish on a flourish.

I don't know what Nashville SC Head Coach Gary Smith will do, maybe he will give some of his big named players a break throughout the match and allow his reserves some playing time, but we all know what Troy Lesesne will do. He will go all out and grab the full three points to complete his mission. Gettnig back to the postseason with all the glory in the world. 

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Red Bulls Acquire Midfielder Frankie Amaya from FC Cincinnati

photo by Matt Kremkau The rumors have become reality as Frankie Amaya has become a New York Red Bulls player. The news comes after Amaya signs a new deal with New York following a trade from FC Cincinnati for $500 thousand in allocation money this season and $450 thousand in 2022.  "We are very pleased to complete this deal," said Director of Sport Kevin Thelwell. "Frankie is a player we've watched closely, and we are confident that his skills and attributes are a good fit for our philosophy and style of play. We look forward to getting him into our environment and achieving success together in the years ahead." The 20 year-old midfielder was the first overall pick in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft and played in 40 total games for FC Cincinnati, scoring one goal over that time. Amaya was also a major part of the US Men's National Team U20's Concacaf Championship win in 2018. The potential is there and his age and ability match the direction New York has taken o...
1 comment
Read more

Tolkin and Edelman Called into Olympic Camp

photo by Matt Kremkau by Anthony J. Merced New York Red Bulls homegrown players John Tolkin and Daniel Edelman have been called into the US Olympic training camp ahead of friendlies later in the month. Tolkin, 21 years-old, has been called into Gregg Berhalter's camps in the past while Edelman will be making his first trip to the national level. Tolkin, now entering his fifth year as a New York Red Bulls player, has experience with the national team going all the way back to 2018 with the US Under 17 team. In 2023, he played four games for the Under 23 team and four games for the main national team as well. While he isn't a first choice pick yet, Tolkin's consistency hasn't gone unnoticed by US Soccer scouts and another solid showing could see him inch closer to a starting position. For Edelman it will be is first selection to such a camp. His experience with the Under 20's was extensive as he helped the team win the U20 Concacaf Championship in 2022. That tournamen...
Post a Comment
Read more

Editorial: New York Red Bulls are Fun to Watch

photo by Matt Kremkau by Daniel Feuerstein The New York Red Bulls 2024 season starts off and running. In their first three matches, they have looked different from their last five to six seasons of doom and despair when trying to attack or have a lapse in judgment on the defensive end. The two big editions for the club are undoubtedly the imports from Sweden in Centerback Noah Elle & attacking midfielder Emil Forsberg. Two players who are a part of the Swedish National Team have started off well in Major League Soccer. We all knew what we were getting right away from Forsberg. A high-energy creative and attacking midfielder who was already bought in from day one, when Director of Sport Jochen Schneider went to Leipzig and brought him over. He was already committed to making the trip to the United States to play his brand of soccer, and so far he hasn't disappointed. Even though he has come close three times off of free kicks, hitting the crossbar twice and being saved by the ke...
Post a Comment
Read more