Red Bulls on edge with Minnesota visiting (Mar 22, 2018)
The start of the 2018 season for the New York Red Bulls has been practically perfect.
After defeating Olimpia of Honduras in the CONCACAF Champions League Round of 16, the Red Bulls ousted Club Tijuana of Liga MX to reach the semifinals for the first time in club history.
Sandwiched between those historic results, coach Jesse Marsch's heavily rotated squad thrashed the Portland Timbers 4-0 in their MLS opener March 10.
But New York faces its first bit of adversity after falling to Real Salt Lake in Sandy, Utah, last week -- its first loss in six overall games. Saturday is the young group's first opportunity to respond when they take on Minnesota United FC at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J.
"I think we are a little disappointed with our play against Salt Lake because we really did not look like us," midfielder Sean Davis said. "We weren't really happy the way we came out, playing with the ball and not playing against the ball and not doing the things that make us good."
Davis missed the RSL match with a tweaked ankle, but has trained fully this week. The Red Bulls (1-1-0), though will be without starting fullbacks Michael Murillo (Panama) and Kemar Lawrence (Jamaica) as well as center midfielder Tyler Adams (United States), who were all called up for the current FIFA window. Reserve center back Fidel Escobar was also called up by Panama.
"I am excited for the opportunity for some of the guys and even playing a few guys last week like Kyle Duncan, giving him the opportunity to continue to move forward in a good way," Marsch said. "I think our team will be ready and be clear and that is somewhat what we went through today, a bit in video we were talking about what we want the weekend to look like and executing it a little bit in training. So I feel that our group will be ready to go and I am excited for some new guys to get an opportunity."
Minnesota United (2-1-0) comes to Harrison off back-to-back wins for just the second time in the club's young history after beating Orlando City SC on the road and the Chicago Fire in its home opener last Saturday.
Adrian Heath's squad has been much improved defensively, conceding five goals in three games after leaking a league-high 70 goals in 2017.
But the Loons are far from a complete team this week as Heath will likely have to utilize an entirely new back four with center backs Francisco Calvo (Costa Rica) and Michael Boxall (New Zealand) on international duty and fullbacks Tyrone Mears (calf) and Jerome Thiesson (left hip) injured.
Mears' injury is especially painful for Heath because of his ability on set pieces.
"The quality of his delivery has been excellent, puts it in the right area," Heath told the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "We probably haven't done as well as I would have liked to have gotten on the end of some of his crosses, but certainly we've been a lot more dangerous this year with our set pieces than we were last year."
