The New York Red Bulls (10-8-7, 37 pts.) will begin a two-match homestand, starting on Saturday, August 20 against FC Cincinnati (8-8-9, 33 pts.) at Red Bull Arena. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. ET with coverage on MSG, MSG GO, and New York Red Bulls Radio in English and Spanish via TuneIn, the New York Red Bulls app and NewYorkRedBulls.com.
Get to know who the Red Bulls will be playing in their upcoming matchup:
How they’re doing
Cincinnati has already tallied its highest points total in the club’s four-year MLS history. They’ve exceeded all pre-season expectations, but are now setting their bar at a playoff spot.
They’ve spent a good portion of the season in the playoff positions, but have recently fallen back to ninth place in the Eastern Conference after only recording one win in their last nine matches. However, they have only lost one match during that span, with the other seven ending in draws.
The one win during that stretch was an emphatic one against Philadelphia, the current conference leaders.
Head-to-head history
The Red Bulls largely owned the series against Cincinnati, winning five of the nine matches and dropping just two.
Both Red Bulls losses in this series came during the 2020 season, when the Orange and Blue earned a 2-0 victory at the MLS is Back Tournament before taking a regular season 1-0 win over New York at Red Bull Arena in September.
The two sides battled to a hectic 1-1 draw at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati on July 9. A Brandon Vazquez opener was cancelled out by Lewis Morgan from the penalty spot. The match also saw two red cards from Cincinnati’s side.
Player to watch – Midfielder Luciano Acosta
No one’s played a part in more MLS goals this season than the Cincinnati No. 10.
He leads MLS with 14 assists, and has been one of the key cogs in Cincinnati’s massive improvement from previous years. He has a goal or an assist in six of his last nine appearances.
Acosta joined the Orange and Blue last season but is no stranger to the league – spending four seasons with DC United from 2016 to 2019 and earning a spot in the league’s Best XI in 2018.
