POSITION WANTED
Red Bulls, NYCFC jockey for primo playoff spots
Momentum and postseason positioning are the remaining goals for the Red Bulls and New York City FC in their respective MLS regular-season finales Sunday.
For NYCFC, a win over Columbus at 4 p.m. at Yankee Stadium is much more i mperative than the Red Bulls defeating Philadelphia on the road, because the Red Bulls are entrenched in the top spot in the Eastern Conference and are guaranteed home-field advantage at least through the conference playoffs.
NYCFC, however, must stave off Toronto FC to remain in second place in the conference and earn a bye into the second round. NYCFC, which is 14-10-9 and has 51 points, has a one-point lead over Toronto. Toronto plays Chicago, the worst team in the league, on Sunday.
If NYCFC defeats Columbus, it clinches second place and will have home-field advantage in the second round, with a road playoff game on Oct. 30 and a home game Nov. 6. If NYCFC loses to Columbus and Toronto beats or ties Chicago, Toronto would earn second place and NYCFC would be forced into playing a one-game knockout playoff match Wednesday or Thursday.
NYCFC is coming off a lackluster loss to D.C. United last weekend when a win could have secured second place.
“It’s important for us to react,’’ NYCFC coach Patrick Vieira said. “It’s important for us to finish second and then we can talk about the playoffs. We are really ambitious and we have to show it. Yes, it’s nice that we’ve seen it [this season], but seeing it and showing it is different.’’
NYCFC, in its second year of existence, did not make the playoffs last year, which makes this a particularly exciting time for the club.
“I was here at this time last year looking at the offseason because there was nothing to play for,’’ NYCFC defender Jason Hernandez said. “We’re really happy to be in control of our own destiny and we’ll see what happens on Sunday.’’
NYCFC has not lost more than two consecutive games this season and lost two in a row just twice.
“Good clubs don’t go on losing streaks,’’ Hernandez said. “Good clubs f ind a way to respond [to losses]. Over the course of the season we’ve responded to losses.’’
The 15-9-9 Red Bulls are the hottest team in the league, unbeaten in their past 15 matches, which represents t he longest unbeaten run in MLS this season and the third-longest in league history.
This is the third time in the past four seasons the Red Bulls, who are in the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season, will have finished as the top team in the East.
In Philadelphia (11-13-19), the Red Bulls are facing a rival they could see in the playoffs on Oct. 30 if Philly advances through the one-game knockout. The three possible playoff opponents for the Red Bulls, depending on who gets through next week’s knockout game, are Philadelphia, D.C. United or Montreal.
Also in play for the Red Bulls is this: A win over Philly coupled with a Colorado loss to Houston on Sunday and they would finish with the secondbest record in MLS behind only Dallas FC, meaning if the Red Bulls advanced to the MLS Cup and Dallas is knocked out, the Red Bulls could host the title game.
“There is something to play for,’’ Red Bulls coach Jesse Mars c h said. “We’ve been on a streak and we’ve had a lot of momentum and we certainly don’t want to give it away now. It’s important for us to continue to have the foot on the pedal and make sure we go into the playoffs with all the momentum possible.
“We have to be aware of the fact that we may see them again, and setting a tone for that match will be important if we do see them again.’’
Red Bulls goalkeeper Luis Robles called Sunday’s game “an extension of the playoffs,’’ adding, “This is good preparation knowing [Philadelphia] is a playoff team and there’s a possibility we’ll play them again in the playoffs.’’