Real Salt Lake-Red Bulls Preview
The New York Red Bulls are going to have to try to avoid their first five-game slide in six years without one of their best players.
Sacha Kljestan is suspended for Wednesday night's match as the Red Bulls host Real Salt Lake, an opponent they have struggled against.
New York (4-5-5) lost its fourth straight Saturday, 2-1 at home to Vancouver as its winless streak hit five. The Red Bulls last dropped five in a row in a six-game slide June 24-Aug. 15, 2009.
"We're figuring out how to put 11 guys on the field that will go out there and win, period," coach Jesse Marsch told the Red Bulls' official website. "Win ugly, win pretty, win in whatever way possible to come out of there with three points, because that's where we're at right now."
Marsch will have to replace Kljestan, who was sent off in the 11th minute Saturday - an awful night for the Red Bulls. Bradley Wright-Phillips became the first player in MLS history to miss two penalty kicks in a match.
The leading contender to spell Kljestan in the midfield is Sean Davis, who replaced him in a 3-0 home victory over Atlanta in the U.S. Open Cup last Tuesday.
"Sacha is a great player," Davis said. "It's big shoes to fill with him, but I try to emulate what he does. He's great on the ball, great going forward, very aware of his surroundings. Those are the things I'm going to try and replicate if I slide in there."
New York has gone 1-5-2 in the last eight meetings with Real Salt Lake (5-5-6), which turned in one of its best performances in Sunday's 2-1 victory over Sporting Kansas City.
"I'm sure they're going to come in and I'm sure they'll be ready for us," Red Bulls midfielder Dax McCarty said. "They're a team that's always been dangerous. We've always had trouble with them."
Salt Lake ended a three-game winless streak in dramatic fashion when Olmes Garcia scored in the 93rd minute. Sebastian Jaime had the other goal.
This is the only road game this month for RSL, which began a stretch of six contests in roughly four weeks Sunday.
"It's good to get off on the right foot, get a win because it's going to be a tough, and grueling six games," defender Tony Beltran said. "Especially having to travel all the way across the country and all that."
RSL will be without forward Alvaro Saborio, who will join Costa Rica for the upcoming Gold Cup, while midfielder Kyle Beckerman is suspended due to yellow card accumulation.
Saborio is tied for the team lead with Javier Morales with three goals. Morales, who leads the club with five assists, has no goals and one assist in 10 games against New York.
Wright-Phillips has team highs of five goals and four assists, but only one assist in his last five games.