Sporting Kansas City-Red Bulls Preview

Led by the league's top scorer, the New York Red Bulls appear poised to end their postseason struggles at home.

Despite a rough end to the regular season, Sporting Kansas City remains optimistic about the challenge that awaits in the playoffs.

Meeting for the second time in five days, the reigning MLS Cup champions face Bradley Wright-Phillips and the Red Bulls in Thursday night's one-match Eastern Conference elimination round.

With a 2-0 win at Kansas City on Sunday, New York ensured this rematch will be played at home, where it's 0-5-2 in the playoffs since beating New England 1-0 on Oct. 22, 2005.

Though recent history might not be on their side, the fourth-place Red Bulls are looking ahead with confidence.

"We didn't celebrate like we won anything," coach Mike Petke, whose team finished on a 6-2-1 stretch, told the league's official website. "It's just a good thing now we can go home and have a home game."

New York should feel confident knowing it can turn to Wright-Phillips, who matched the league's single-season goal record with his 27th of the year and second of the match in the 70th minute Sunday.

"The 27 goals, they almost don't matter now. It's a new season for me," he said. "I want to be the top goal scorer or up there in the playoffs. I want to get as many goals as I can. When you see me on Thursday, I'll be as hungry ever."

Wright-Phillips, who shares the mark with San Jose's Chris Wondolowski (2012) and former Tampa Bay Mutiny star Roy Lassiter (1996), had four of the five goals New York scored while going 2-0-1 against Kansas City this season.

Thierry Henry had the other in a 2-1 home victory over Sporting on Sept. 6.

The 37-year-old forward missed Sunday's match with a flare of up of an Achilles injury, but hopes to play in what could be his final game with the Red Bulls. In the final season of a 4 1/2-year contract, the French star has refused to talk about his future.

Kansas City, meanwhile, looks to be playing past Thursday despite dropping its final two league matches and going 3-8-2 over the last two months. It hopes the experience gained from last season's playoff run will somehow play to its advantage this time.

"We're a team to be feared," defender Seth Sinovic told the club's official website. "We're the defending champs. We've got playoff experience, and we're ready to go."

Coach Peter Vermes welcomes that attitude and understands that the postseason is an entirely different dynamic.

"I can tell you that I think anything is possible when you step into the playoffs," said Vermes, whose team tied for the MLS lead with eight road victories and allowed a league-low 20 goals away from home.

Forward Dom Dwyer finished second to Wright-Phillips with 22 goals, including one of the two Kansas City scored in the three matches against New York.

This will be the first time Kansas City and New York are meeting in the postseason and the winner will host the first of a two-leg semifinal against D.C. United on Sunday.