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Game 2. Do or die. Cliche sports metaphors will be tossed around today as both DC United and New York Red Bulls finish off their two match playoff series. The New York Red Bulls have the edge thus far, winning their first match 2-0 last Sunday.
Can DC United advance? Will RFK Stadium rock in merriment with a classic befitting of the I-95 derby? Let’s find out!
When:230pm Today!
Where: RFK Stadium Washington DC
TV: NBC
Head-to-Head in the Playoffs: Let’s tinker with this formula a bit and speak specifically about last week’s match. Although New York lost the season series to DC in the regular series to the tune of 2-1, the Red Bulls were the superior side on Sunday. Goals by Bradley Wright-Phillips and Peguy Luyindula gave the Red Bulls the lift over their hated rivals.
Outlook: Football managers have and always will be gamblers. Every decision that is made, every player that is chosen, and every player that is left out of a lineup are decided by people who are assuming that their choices will give them the advantage. If they win, they have made the correct choice. But if they lose then obviously they made poor decisions.
DC United coach Ben Olsen made some very difficult decisions last Sunday which obviously affected the results. The first was choosing to go with Chris Korb as their right back in last Sunday’s match and have Taylor Kemp play left-back. This decision was obviously based upon the injury to All-Star right-back Sean Franklin.
Olsen gambled on this back four and lost bad. The Red Bulls attack pounded DC United on the outside, scoring both of their goals based off passes from both the left and right flanks. Midfielder Thierry Henry had a field day making two dangerous passes in to Wright-Phillips and Luyindula to finish off DC.
If DC United are to get back into this series they need to shore up their outside defenders. All indications from training camp this week suggest that Franklin is fully healthy so he should slide back in to the right-back role. Olsen will have to decide if he wants to choose speed (Kemp) or technical ability (Korb) on the left side. Against Red Bulls midfielder Loyd Sam Olsen will need someone who can stay back and expect the counter-attack. DC United cannot allow another due to the away-goal rule.
Of course defending is just one aspect of where DC United needs to improve on Saturday: they will need to attack. On Sunday, the Red Bulls defense pulled out an outstanding performance, limiting United’s possession and shots on goal. Red Bulls midfielder Dax McCarty held possession for large periods of the match and forced United midfielder Nick De Leon to chase him all around the pitch.
United gambled that a 4-4-2 with forwards Eddie Johnson and Fabian Espindola could open up the scoring and give them a valuable away goal. But the problem with Johnson and Espindola is that they play very similar styles and often overlap one another rather than looking for each other in space. What would then occur is that they could not find each other in space and their passing was quite poor.
If Chris Rofle is healthy, expect Olsen to put him in the starting lineup alongside Espindola. Espindola works best when he can set up a “give and go” system with another forward. Clear communication is required between two forwards in a 4-4-2 and Rolfe and Espindola have shown that together they can produce. Red Bulls defender Jamison Olave will need to once again his size advantage to move out his former Real Salt Lake teammate Espindola.
Of course, the third gamble that Olsen took is allowing New York to play at home at first. The Red Bulls have a mediocre road record (2-7-7) but the worst road-goal differential among any playoff team (-16). The second really hurt DC because if they had held the Red Bulls to just one goal at Harrison then chances are they could nick two at RFK Stadium.
Good teams win on the road. While New York have shown that they can be dominant at home, their road form has left a lot to be desired. Saturday will be another opportunity to prove that they are serious contender for the MLS Cup.
Prediction: DC United 2- New York Red Bulls 0. DC United advances on penalties 5-4.