Crew look for rare road win against Red Bulls (Jul 26, 2018)
For the first time since since he called it home, Mike Grella is heading back to Red Bull Arena.
"I'm excited, I'll have family there and I'll be playing against (new Red Bulls head coach) Chris Armas, who took over and is a good friend and someone I respect so much," Grella said.
"It will be exciting. We have a lot of quality and so do they. It will be a really exciting game. Playing at Red Bull Arena is always a good time anyway, so I'm looking forward to it."
Once a fan favorite in New York, the Glen Cove, N.Y., native and his Columbus Crew SC teammates will be attempting something rare this season -- be a road team that takes all three points at Red Bull Arena.
That has happened once, when the Chicago Fire were 2-1 winners on April 21. Since that match, the Red Bulls are 5-0-1 at home.
Just as rare of late is a victory away from MAPFRE Stadium for Crew SC, who are 0-4-1 in their last five road games -- all without a goal.
Columbus (9-7-6) was two minutes from falling at home last Saturday but was gifted a controversial penalty that Gyasi Zardes converted for his second goal of the game to level in the 88th minute and then Wil Trapp received a pass from Grella and unleashed a long-distance rocket to give Crew SC a dramatic victory.
It was only Trapp's second goal of his MLS career.
"Obviously an exciting win, creates some momentum," Columbus coach Gregg Berhalter said. "I think home games are important to get wins, to get it in a dramatic fashion like that in the last minute of the game is exciting. We're proud of the guys for their resiliency and hanging in the game and really pushing to get a win."
The Red Bulls (13-5-2) come into the game off three straight wins and victories in six of their last seven games, including a 1-0 victory over D.C. United on Wednesday night at Audi Field.
Bradley Wright-Phillips scored the lone goal in the second minute, reaching 100 career regular-season goals faster than any player in MLS history.
"What a day to celebrate Bradley Wright-Phillips," Armas said. "He's obviously a club legend, but we've all been privileged, whoever's spent some time around him -- this is my fourth year with him. To just be part of his 100th goal, that it comes in a derby match and a meaningful one on the road, it's a big win for him. So I'm really happy for Brad."
While Columbus is solidly entrenched in fourth place in the Eastern Conference with 33 points, five points ahead of the Montreal Impact and seven points behind third-place New York City FC, the Red Bulls moved ahead of NYCFC into second place with the win at D.C. and are just three points behind division and Supporters' Shield leading Atlanta United with two games in hand.
This is the second meeting this season between the Red Bulls and the Crew, who played to a 1-1 draw on June 9 in Columbus.
