With a five-point cushion at the top spot in the Eastern Conference, D.C. United (14-8-5) faces a New York Red Bulls (8-8-10) side sitting two points below the playoff line and under increasing pressure to claw its way back into the postseason picture.
Having beaten New York twice already to secure the 2014 Atlantic Cup—1-0 on April 12 and 2-0 on Aug 31—the Black-and-Red are prepared for a midweek meeting with a familiar foe desperate to avoid a season sweep.
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“It’s our third time playing them,” said D.C. United midfielder Perry Kitchen. “We played them in the past week. We know who they are we know what they’re about.”
Though currently in sixth place, the Red Bulls have no shortage of goal production. Bradley Wright-Phillips, tops in the league with 21 goals, and Thierry Henry, with 11 assists, one shy of his MLS-best 12 in 2012 – have paced a potent and creative Red Bulls attack that leads the Eastern Conference with 28 goals scored at home.
“Henry’s still one of the best in the League, even at 37,” said Kitchen.
D.C. United hosted the first two games of the series, but this time New York welcomes the familiar confines of Red Bull Arena.
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“We’re traveling. We’re going to New York, and they have a good crowd,” said D.C. United defender Steven Birnbaum. “It’s going to be a tough game. It was a battle last time in the heat. This is a night game, so we’re just excited to play them again.”
D.C. United also knows how to grind out results, most recently securing a 0-0 tie at Vancouver, a place where Eastern Conference teams struggle, to add one more point to its conference lead.
Wednesday night, on ESPN2, United will go back to work with its game plan in place and three points in view.
“They’re a very good squad,” Kitchen said. “They’re very dangerous at home. We’re going to have our hands full. But we know what we have to do.”
