The New York Red Bulls are hosting the Colorado Rapids tonight in a mid-week match up. NYRB look to end their two game losing skid at home. This is the perfect opportunity for them as Colorado has failed to win a single road game all year. The Rapids have an abysmal road record at 0-3-7 scoring only 8 goals and allowing 21. YUCK!
NYRB have also struggled at home this year, considering all their road success. NYRB are 3-4-3 at home making them 13th of 14 in the east. Finishing ahead of only lowly Cincinnati in the standings. NYRB have been able to score at home netting 14 goals, but they have allowed 11 goals in as well. This shouldn't be a huge surprise if you follow MLS. NYRB has the smallest pitch of any MLS team and games in their building trend to the over.
What is there to say about Colorado other than “Oh how the mighty have fallen.” The Rapids topped the west last year and entered MLS playoffs as the #1 seed. Now they sit in 12th place ahead of only San Jose and SKC. The Rapids tried to make improvements with the transfer of Zardes to come in as a striker. The problem is I personally don’t rate him at all. More objectively, Rubio’s finishing was never the problem for Colorado. It was always the lack of quality service from the mid-field. If anyone manages to do anything tonight for the Rapids, my guess is it will be the man with the arm band. Captain Diego Rubio, but I wouldn’t hold my breath.
NYRB come into tonight’s match after losing 2 non-MLS matches. They got knocked out of the US Open Cup by Orlando on the27th of July and lost a club friendly to Barca 0-2 on the 30th of July. Before that they had a stellar road win at Austin managing to hold on to a 4-3 win in an epic game. In that match with Austin, NYRB got goals from unexpected places. Ngoma, the 17 year old, making his first start back from injury scored in the 14th minute and quickly subbed off at minute 32. Yearwood, a midfielder not known for his finishing, got his 2nd career goal and also contributed an assist. I expect NYRB to come out with a strong lineup tonight and secure 3 points at home. To do this I expect Lewis Morgan and Luquinhas to be heavily involved. I will be looking at both their goal props when lineups are released.
