New York Red Bulls vs. D.C. United: Preview, time, and how to watch
D.C. United is on the road to face off against the New York Red Bulls in Harrison, New Jersey, for the second leg of the Atlantic Cup.
The 2024 season has not been kind to the Black-and-Red. 13th in the Eastern Conference, they have struggled recently to dress a full 18 and have been winless for eight matches. To say every game is now a must-win is not an understatement.
Head coach Troy Lesesne is keeping the hope alive. He said, “We have to have the type of integrity and fight to really continue to go in the direction that we want to go in no matter the circumstances. We’ve had some crazy circumstances that have been obstacles and challenges for us this year, but I know this is a group that when I’m with them every day, I know that they’re still on the same path towards trying to accomplish something in 2024.”
The Red Bulls are at the opposite end of the spectrum. Sitting at a very comfortable third place in the Eastern Conference, the New York Red Bulls are on a 12-match unbeaten streak across all competitions at Red Bull Arena. With 34 points to D.C.’s 19, the Red Bulls will enter tonight’s match confidently.
One thing is for certain, the Black-and-Red should expect a challenge tonight.
Hear everything head coach Troy Lesesne had to say at the pre-game press conference here.
Let us know your thoughts about tonight’s match in the comments below.
Key Player: Ted Ku-DiPietro
This is usually the section where Christian Benteke’s name appears. As the veteran forward is out serving a disciplinary suspension, it’s really anyone’s guess who will step up the most in his absence. One player we have our eyes on is Ted Ku-DiPietro. The 22-year-old from Oakton, Virginia, has been making his mark on D.C. United with his tenacious style of play and instinct. Perhaps he can keep the Red Bulls’ defense on their toes a bit tonight.
Watch Out For: Lewis Morgan
The Scottish winger returns from international duty and will be available for the matchup with D.C. United. His record is convincing, notching hat tricks and recording nine goals so far this season. The Black-and-Red must pay attention.
Challenges: Troy Lesesne’s pool of available players continues to shrink. Christian Benteke and Matai Akinmboni add to this week’s long list of absences. Both are serving suspensions.
Previously: In May, D.C. United was trounced 1-4 by the New York Red Bulls at Audi Field. The Black-and-Red’s all-time regular season record against the Red Bulls is 37-35-17.
New York Red Bulls Availability:
Out: Carlos Coronel (international duty), Roald Mitchell (knee), Serge Ngoma (knee), Peter Stroud (ankle)
Questionable: Emil Forsberg (foot)
D.C. United Availability:
Out: Conner Antley (knee), Steven Birnbaum (hip), Russell Canouse (not due to injury), Kristian Fletcher (ankle), Jackson Hopkins (back), Garrison Tubbs (head)
Out, disciplinary: Christian Benteke, Matai Akinmboni
Questionable: None
Location: Red Bull Arena, Harrison, New Jersey
Kickoff time: 7:30 pm ET
Referee: Joe Dickerson
Available streaming: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
I’m sorry that you never project starting lineups a la Jason Anderson, Sarah. Tonight’s lineup will qualify for one of Dante’s circles in Inferno.
A starting lineup? That’s easy. To quote Bruce Arena, “You want my starting lineup? We’ll start a goalkeeper and 10 field players.”
Well said. Can you imagine one of the goalkeepers being drafted for a field position if injuries mount up? Sort of like staying on the pitch in rugby if you too injured to really play in the scrum and mauls but at least you can cover a space in the open field. (I’ve had that experience.)
I mean… I’m up to try it at this point. 😭
Wait we enough field players for a starting XI?
Sarah’s doing free labor, Jason left to get paid for his coverage. We’re grateful.
Appreciate you. Sarah and team are also working to maintain and grow this site too… we are perhaps not “perfect,” but committed to our local soccer scene.
I’d also say we miss Jason like crazy. He’s the GOAT. 🥹
So how badly do we get boat raced?
Also the Swiss knocked out the Italians 2-0.
I thought the Swiss had a chance, it was a bloody massacre save for Italy’s superstar goalie. Holy moly, excited to see what the Swiss do going forward. Granted, this Italy side has struggled to create a ton of chances, but for a historic power like that to never even threaten was surprising
So as usual I’m going to watch the Old Glory game before watching the DCU game…if it’s worth watching…
Well shit…this is gonna be a long night for Old Glory…gave up a try less than 90 secs in…and conversion is at least a miss…so 5-0 to NOLA.
Nice kick over the top that sat up nicely and then NOLA took advantage of fast line speed for Old Glory.
I love these Cherry Blossom kits for Old Glory
Old Glory is up 17-10 at half.
That’s quite a bench. Two GKs, one guy just back from injury, two guys the coach didn’t want back, one guy who is probably a liability.
Apple was acting screwy, but it’s working randomly now.
Maybe the soccer gods were trying to spare me
This is MLS and anything can happen, so go United! Rationally, we’re going to get trounced. I just hope nobody else gets hurt.
And my realistic desires for this game are to see Jeremy Garay make his MLS debut and for Hayden Sargis to get some playing time.
A brace from each off the bench?
As long as we’re being hopeful!
This is one crummy ass camera position
Ku NEEEDS to put that away.
TKD with a Shoss (shot/cross) that almost puts us up. Choose, Ted!
Definitely had sights on Ted as tonight’s hero. Happy Stroud is in on this too!
All DC at the start, Redbulls could use an energy drink of some kind…
🤣
Stroud!!! I’m not having a stroke, that’s the name of our fucking hero!!!
Twellman all over the place with his commentary, but 1-0 DC!
WOO!
Dajome gets a yellow card, enough to give him a yellow card accumulation penalty. He’ll miss the game against Cincinnati. Thankfully our bench is super deep!
But wait, there’s more
Dajome gets a second yellow card, less than 20 minutes in. Jesus Christ.
Whelp. Dájome booked and DC down to 10 men 🫣 What could go wrong?
Es era penal.
Well, I enjoyed this game about 20 minutes longer than I thought I would. So there’s that.
Peltola, you have to jump with him at least
And Bartlett is in serious pain.
Would it ruin some vast eternal plan if we won against this team?
All I really wanted after last season, after dropping three games to Red Bull, was a teamwide commitment to beating them. Still some game to go, but pretty much so much for that.
Darth Garber and the league trying to make The Atlantic Cup nothing and not a rivalry.
I already watched the Panama game, universe
DCU is not allowed to catch a break.
Btw, we’re all agreed now that Dajome has gotta go this offseason, right? I’ve heard some rumblings on here to keep him. He’s not a beleaguered puppy, he’s a player whose qualities don’t line up for any position requirements
Whoever is saying he should come back is on something. I am fine with him sticking around the rest of this season. He has energy, he’s willing to play anywhere, and Lesesne likes him. He really shouldn’t be a starter, and his energy coming off the bench might make him more potent of an option.
But yeah, he’s on $900,000. He takes up an international slot. He’s 30. In 39 games, he’s had 3 goals and 1 assist. Think we can do better with those resources? I do.
The only real question is, if clubs are allowed to buy out a second player, should it be him? I think that buying out Martin Rodriguez is the top priority, or Gabriel Pirani. Dajome is maybe #3.
Cut Dajome’s salary in half and I’d gladly keep him next year. He has speed and has clearly bought into Lesesne’s system. If we can get away from having to play him at wingback then I think he’ll add a lot more value. Plus, he should be able to get a green card next year if we’re lucky.
Rodriguez has a couple of games to win Lesesne/our trust and Pirani is young enough that I think cutting bait right now isn’t a smart move. Mainly though, we cannot afford to buy out anyone unless we have a clear replacement in mind.
Miller’s staying down a bit, but good news! Holy shit do we have substitution choices for goalie!
You’ve gone insane. Perhaps they’ve made us so…
Man, I’ve been cheering for a Nate Crockford appearance for awhile.
They say, when all the other players are consumed at Ragnarok, Nate Crockford will appear and remake the world…
HOLY SHIT PEDRO SANTOS!
(who should also be gone at the end of this season, let’s be clear.)
Pedro Santos with a golazo free kick…
None of this was on my bingo card…
2-1 DC
The Red Bull player with a yellow card avoided a second on his foul of Ku-DiPietro which led to the goal, even though it was VERY similar to Dajome’s second yellow. And he just now trucked Klich.
Stroud and Santos have scored, quick, we need more role players with S surnames, and we need ‘em stat!
Also, gotta give credit to Murrell for showing us a little something something with that perfectly angled, timed, and handled backheel to give Stroud a shot
He’s done some stuff this game. He’s not, y’know, being the focal point of our offense as a center forward and winning every single ball in the air, but he’s doing some stuff.
Murrelll is always doing stuff. or at least trying stuff — a phrase which always makes me think of Clint Dempsey. Obv, he’s not Dempsey, and a lot of his efforts don’t come off, but he always tries to do something to put defenses off balance.
Tyler Miller seems like he’s kicking a lot of stuff out of bounds on restarts.
This has been happening since he took over for Bono. 99% of his kicks are aimed down the wing towards the sideline — Benteke started lining up there to try to keep a few of them in bounds, but most of his kicks end up out fo bounds.
Oh look. Another week of inconsistent referee decisions. I really hope that Dajome’s second yellow was for dissent because that foul is almost never a yellow card, let alone a second yellow card. Then Ronald had a (imo) worse second foul and escapes punishment.
At least Santos punished NJ for a very poor wall setup. The team is playing pretty well overall even with the red card. Rodriguez in particular has been doing a good job of holding onto the ball and playing the simple pass. Him and Klich together just ooze calmness on the ball.
Murrell has been our weakest link imo, but he’s making the right runs at least. Just can’t get the touch right for his holdup play.
How’s that only a yellow on Burke for that kick to Klich’s face?
Let’s not get crazy, he’s not a DC player or anything
So now Lesene and an assistant coach both have a yellow…
It would be so nice to be able to throw Fletcher on for Murrell right now. He’s gassed and some pace up top could be deadly.
(Stamps out a cigarette) best I can do is Nate Crockford…
2-2, the Redbulls play their first soccer of the night.
Shit.
KDP and Murrell are both trying too much when they get the ball up high on the pitch. Need to slow the game down some when we get the ball in NY’s half.
Yeah, Murrell used all his mana tonight on that back heel assist, I’m afraid
I call bullshit Burke is offside and impacts Tyler Miller.
Oh look another cardable offense by Red Bull that doesn’t see anything
At this point, the main question is: How many minutes of “injury inducing” time there will be.
7
Murrell has nothing left. My kingdom for a sub
Taylor Twellman desperate for the Redbulls to take advantage of Santos’ injury to get a non-offside play goal.
Not only a hack, a classless troll
Hooray Garay!
Now officially a DC United trivia question answer
He already was. Just trading one absurd bit of trivia for another
I think my favorite bit was he was the most senior player on the roster tonight, in terms of continuous service to the club. He was signed to the senior team in 2021, and only Birnbaum and Canouse have been with the team longer.
Roy Miller-esque from Forsberg.
LOL, at least he took it (cough Henry cough)
That was gritty.
The Philly Gritty.
Getting a point out of that refereeing sh**show is a decent result, Still, frustrating how undisciplined this team can be.
Also, what’s with the Tyler Miller goal kicks? Is he being told to kick them out of bounds? Not just today. Every once in a while, they find a player near the sideline in a position where they can’t do anything with it. I had a laugh when he first came back in goal. He was screaming at Garrison Tubbbs for allowing a long shot that sailed over the goal. When he finally decided to go back and take the goal kick, naturally, he sent it straight out of bounds. No one yelled at him.
Saw same thing with Miller. Wasn’t distribution supposed to be his strong point. That aspect was atrocious tonight.
Miller’s kicks were damn good last season before he got benched. I’m not sure what was going on today. Hopefully he’s back to himself in that regard soon.
Based on his past passing, I’ve got to think Millers kicks out of bounds are intentional. I think the logic is that without Benteke we don’t really have anyone who can win the first ball but playing out of bounds means our defense is then set and we challenge for the throw in and win the ball high up the pitch with a chance at a quick transition.
I really hope to have fun again soon watching this team. To be fair, there was twenty or so minutes of us doing well, but, you know, I’m sorta getting weary of the con saves to maintain focus and the routine psychic damage.
Not really anyone’s fault long view, this squad can’t be remade till the offseason. But this is tough to endure.
It’s not just Con saves…its everything saves…Dex, Str, Cha, Wis, and Int.
At least, DC United haven’t lost a game the way Toronto lost tonight, They will be showing that clip around the world for decades whenever anyone brings up goalie misplays.
If you told me ahead of time we’d walk out of here with a point before the game, not even taking into account that we were down a man for 70 minutes, I’d have taken it. Giving up the lead twice sucks, but that’s a result that you can be proud of.
Playing most of the match a man down and we were down a bunch of men BEFORE the match started. I count this as a damn good result.
Yeah, away draws are mathematically good. But if I’m focusing on math outcomes this much, I’d rather there be dragons involved
Turns out Lesesne has to miss the Cincinnati game due to yellow card accumulation. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen that from a manager before. The good news? We’re 1-0-0 in games this year when Lesesne is suspended.