Dynamo visit reeling Red Bulls looking for first road points: What to watch for
(image via Houston Dynamo FC/Twitter)
The Houston Dynamo will try and pick up their first road points of the 2023 season as they visit the New York Red Bulls tonight. Houston is coming off a dominant 3-0 win last weekend over the LA Galaxy at Shell Energy Stadium. The Red Bulls drew 1-1 with the San Jose Earthquakes in a controvery filled match last Saturday.
When: Saturday, April 15 | 6:39 PM CT kickoff
Where: Red Bull Arena; Harrison, New Jersey
TV/Stream: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
Radio: 97.5 FM (English), 93.3 FM (Spanish)
Old foe
With the New York Red Bulls in the Eastern Conference, the Dynamo don’t get to play them much. There was that memorable playoff series years ago, but outside of that, it’s a rare meeting when the two face off. For head coach Ben Olsen, however, The Red Bulls are a familiar foe going back to his days as a player. D.C. United and New York are original MLS clubs and Olsen had battles with the MetroStars/Red Bulls as a player and a manager.
Olsen knows the taks at hand in going into New Jersey and just how important picking up points on the road will be. “It’s been a good week,” Olsen said in his weekly press conference. “We know we have a big task in front of us. I’ve played in New Jersey and New York many times as a player and a coach. The venue is a difficult one to go in and get something out of, but it’s doable. We’re making sure that we’re clear about who we are, continuing the path that we’re going on but also being clear with who they are, because the way they go about the game is different. You do have to adapt a little bit to them, but it’s concerning ourselves with us to get some points on the road and moving forward and getting better, but also understanding that the way they go about it, you’ve got to be pretty well versed in how they play.”
Héctor at home
Saturday’s 3-0 win over the LA Galaxy was nearly a perfect night for the Dynamo, until captain Héctor Herrera picked up his second yellow card in stoppage time and was sent off. With Herrera suspended for tonight’s match, the likely replacement in the starting lineup is Brooklyn Raines. The tactics are working really well and the results have been good of late so Olsen and staff probably don’t want to change up much in the midfield, especially the roles of Coco Carrasquilla and Artur.
The players know Herrera will be a big miss but they are also confident in the guys they have available. “Everyone is going to miss Héctor,” defender Teenage Hadebe said this week. “We know the quality he has. He is a leader. He pushes everyone on the field. I believe whoever is going to step into Héctor’s position is going to give his best. We have enough talent as I said.”
Red Bulls reeling
The New York Red Bulls have had a very eventful week, and not in a good way. In last week’s match against the San Jose Earthquakes, DP striker Dante Vanzeir used racially abusive language during the match. New York head coach Gerhard Struber did not immediately remove Vanzeir from the match, even after being asked to by San Jose head coach Luchi Gonzalez and even players on his own team. Struber never did issue an apology and instead insisted it was a “rough week” for him and he didn’t know the whole situation during the game, despite video showing Red Bull players telling him what happened. Vanzeir was suspended six games by MLS while Struber has had no punishment of yet. Red Bull supporter groups, as well as many fans around MLS, are not happy with the number of games Vanzeir was given and the fact that Struber escaped any accountability or punishment. The RBNY supporters have planned a walk out of tonight’s match, once the national anthem ends, to protest, saying in a statement “some things are bigger than soccer and we need to take a stand.” If ever there was a chance for the Dynamo to end their road woes, you would think tonight would be that chance.
Availability Report
Houston Dynamo - Out: Ifunanyachi Achara (knee), Tate Schmitt (knee), Héctor Herrera (suspension); Questionable: Brad Smith (knee), Erik Sviatchenko (pending documentation)
New York Red Bulls – Out: Serge Ngoma (hamstring), Lewis Morgan (hip), Matt Nocita (hamstring), Steven Sserwadda (knee), Frankie Amaya (ankle), Dante Vanzeir (suspension); Questionable: Luquinhas (adductor), John Tolkin (hamstring), Andres Reyes (adductor)
Predicted Lineup
