Nashville SC will pay their second-ever visit to Red Bull Arena on Saturday in what will be the home opener for the New York Red Bulls in the 2023 MLS regular season.
For the second time in the last three years, New York lost their opening match of the new campaign, falling 1-0 at Orlando City, while the Boys in Gold blanked New York City FC 2-0.
Match preview
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It was a disappointing end for the Red Bulls in their season opener last weekend, as they held the Lions to only one effort on target but still lost.
Throughout that encounter, Gerhard Struber saw his players confuse their opponents and force them into numerous giveaways with their relentless pressing, but as has been the case with this group in the past, the finish was lacking.
The core of this team remains intact, and they look to be in lockstep with one another on the field, but their lack of quality in the attacking third remains a question mark for the time being.
New York enter this match having earned at least a point in four of their last five regular season affairs at home, including a 2-0 win over Charlotte FC on Decision Day last year.
If you include their playoff fixture from 2022, the Red Bulls have not conceded in the opening half of a home game since Gonzalo Higuain put Inter Miami in front after 19 minutes last August, but New York came back to win on that occasion 3-1.
They have never lost a regular season encounter versus Nashville, beating them in their only other visit to Red Bull Arena in 2021, 2-0.
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The 2023 campaign began impressively for the Boys in Gold, who have earned at least a point in their last three regular season openers.
They were sharp and compact along the backline last Saturday, conceding just two shots on target versus NYCFC, despite only having 38% of the possession.
That performance was reminiscent of the Nashville side we saw in 2021, as they defended deep last weekend and caught the Pigeons on the counter, while rarely allowing any quality scoring opportunities.
When the Boys in Gold strike first, they are rarely beaten, earning at least a point in 45 of their 49 matches in which they have netted the opener, while they have never lost when scoring multiple times in a single game (six wins and eight draws).
If you include their playoff defeat to the Los Angeles Galaxy (1-0) last season, Gary Smith's side have captured just one of their last three away matches domestically.
Nashville have claimed at least a point in 48 of their 61 regular season encounters versus Eastern Conference sides, though their opening victory against the Boys in Blue was the first time they beat a team from the east since June 2022.
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Team News
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The Red Bulls will be without Serge Ngoma and Dru Yearwood this weekend as they are both suffering from hamstring injuries, Dante Vanzeir arrived last weekend from Royale Union Saint Gilloise in Belgium as he aims to make his club debut on Saturday, while Cory Burke saw the field in Red Bull colours for the first time in the regular season as the former Philadelphia Union striker replaced Elias Manoel for the final 22 minutes versus Orlando City.
Goals from former centre-forward Fabio Gomes and current defender Kyle Duncan helped the Red Bulls defeat Nashville the last time they came to Harrison, New Jersey, as goalkeeper Carlos Coronel made seven stops to collect a clean sheet.
Lewis Morgan had 14 goals for them in 2022 but is searching for his first this year after signing a contract extension in January through until 2025, and Frankie Amaya had four interceptions in their season opener, making him the current joint-leader in that category after one match this season.
CJ Sapong sat out of the opening fixture for Nashville because of a sore thigh, former Red Bull Dax McCarty was on the bench for the same reason, while Nick DePuy, who joined them during the offseason from the Galaxy, is out with a lower leg injury.
American international Walker Zimmerman has scored the first goal of the season for the Boys in Gold in two of their four career regular season campaigns, as he and Jacob Shaffelburg each found the back of the net in their opener and Joe Willis collected his 50th career MLS shutout.
The 2022 MLS Golden Boot winner Hany Mukhtar came on as a second-half substitute despite a minor hip injury, setting up their second goal, Fafa Picault made his Nashville debut, assisting on their opener, Daniel Lovitz picked up his 80th career cap for the club and Teal Bunbury made his 338th MLS regular season appearance, putting him in a tie with the Portland Timbers' Diego Chara for sixth all-time among active players.
New York Red Bulls possible starting lineup:
Coronel; Harper, Reyes, S. Nealis, Tolkin; Luquinhas, Amaya, Casseres, Morgan; Manoel, Burke
Nashville SC possible starting lineup:
Willis; Moore, Zimmerman, Maher, Lovitz; Godoy, Davis; Picault, Leal, Shaffelburg; Mukhtar
We say: New York Red Bulls 0-0 Nashville SC
There is quality on both sides, although these teams prefer to sit back and defend while calculating when to counter, but they are both so organised and compact along the backline that we anticipate a tight match, with few chances either way.
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Top tip
Joel Lefevre
