PREVIEW – Following a scoreless draw at home, the New York Red Bulls hit the road again to face Western Conference powerhouse Los Angeles FC at BMO Stadium. RBNY sits in second place in the east with a game in hand over current leaders Inter Miami. Currently in sixth place in the West, LAFC is looking to climb in the standings.
Red Bulls Hit the Road: Predictions for the Game Against LAFC
Injuries Threaten Depth
Serge Ngoma, a homegrown player who was poised to make a full return to the first team, is instead recovering from knee surgery. He was most recently seen in Red Bull II’s brief Open Cup run, tallying a goal and an assist in the loss against NYCFC II.
For our guy. pic.twitter.com/ho3MGJolox
— New York Red Bulls (@NewYorkRedBulls) April 13, 2024
Peter Stroud suffered an ankle injury during the match against Chicago Fire at Red Bull Arena. The team announced on Wednesday that Stroud underwent successful surgery. Additionally, Red Bull II forward, Roald Mitchell, is expected to undergo surgery as well. Mitchell earned Player of the Matchweek accolades for his four goals against Chicago Fire II. There was no information given regarding a return for any of these players.
READ MORE: Injury Update by the New York Red Bulls
Sizing up Los Angeles FC
Los Angeles recently won the latest installment of “El Tráfico,” their rivalry match against the LA Galaxy, but are coming off a 2-2 draw against the Portland Timbers. The Black and Gold will be looking for a way to climb back up the table in this cross-conference matchup. The visitors will see a familiar face in former Defender of the Year. Aaron Long, who spent seven seasons with the Red Bulls organization. Red Bull manager, Sandro Schwarz, understands that the MLS regular season is a marathon and a crucible. Between these injuries, heavy travel, and roster availability, there is a lot to consider. He has to keep the team strong and confident through the regular season and playoffs.
New York Red Bulls Predicted Lineup: Predictions for the Red Bulls
STARTING 11: Coronel; D. Nealis, S. Nealis, N.Eile, J. Tolkin; Harper, Amaya, Edelman, Forsberg (C); Vanzeir, Morgan
Wiki Carmona has not shown up in recent matchups, so unless he proves himself again in training, he may have to settle for coming on late. Cameron Harper, who recently signed a new contract with RBNY, has the potential to show the grit that Stroud had in the previous match. Lewis Morgan is currently at the top of the league goal scorer list, and can add to his account Saturday.
READ MORE: Pre-Season Profile on New Manager Sandro Schwarz
Photo Credit: Jose Pichirilo for Last Word on World Football.
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