FC Dallas will play their final match at Toyota Stadium until late June on Friday night against the New York Red Bulls presented by Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano. The Red Bulls are 4-1-4 on the season and Friday’s match will be the second in six days for Jesse Marcsh’s side. They beat NYCFC, 2-1, in the inaugural Hudson Derby on Sunday night.
Heavyweight Bout
New York rides into Frisco off of their derby win on Sunday, while FC Dallas looks to ride the momentum of their late comeback victory over the Galaxy on Saturday. After starting 2015 with four wins in their first five games, the Red Bulls have continued to rack up points, losing just one match in the first two months of the season. Dallas, one the other hand, has jumped out to one of the best starts in franchise history, and can take sole possession of the top spot in MLS with a win Friday night.
Key Player for New York
Bradley Wright-Phillips – The reigning MLS Golden Boot winner is off to another hot start in 2015 with five goals already on the season, including both goals in the Red Bulls’ win over NYCFC on Sunday which earned an MLS Player of the Week nod for Week 10.
TICKETS - FC DALLAS vs NEW YORK RED BULLS - FRIDAY, MAY 15 vs NYRB 8 PM
Key Matchups
Matt Hedges vs Bradley Wright-Phillips – The Week 10 MLS Player of the Week, Bradley Wright-Phillips, comes into Friday’s match hot off of a two-goal performance on Sunday, and looks to ride the momentum into Toyota Stadium. Matt Hedges has a large task ahead of him shutting down one of the most dynamic strikers in MLS over the last 18 months.
Blas Perez vs Karl Ouimette – With Red Bulls’ defender Matt Miazga out of Friday’s match after receiving a red card in the Hudson Derby on Sunday, Ouimette is the heir-apparent to New York’s starting XI. He will be tested right away against Blas Perez who has five goals in eight appearances this season, and leads FCD in scoring.
Projected Lineup
Goalkeeper: Luis Robles; Defenders: Kemar Lawrence, Damien Perrinelle, Karl Ouimette, Chris Duvall; Midfielders: Felipe Martins, Sacha Kljestan, Dax McCarty, Lloyd Sam; Forward: Mike Grella, Bradley Wright-Phillips
Keys to three points
New York is a team that has allowed only nine goals this season, tied for second lowest in MLS for teams that have played eight or more game, while FC Dallas has scored a league-high 17 goals this season.
If Dallas can continue to feed the dynamic duo of Fabian Castillo and Mauro Diaz while limiting BWP’s chances, they should be able to head into the longest road trip in franchise history with three points.
