After another extended break from MLS action, Red Bull New York return to the pitch Saturday night when they travel to Mercedes-Benz Stadium to face Atlanta United.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET as New York looks to carry the momentum from its most recent match, a 3-2 victory over Orlando City on Aug. 1.
Red Bull enter Saturday’s matchup with a significant advantage in the all-time series. New York is 10-2-6 against Atlanta in regular-season play and has posted a 5-2-3 record on the road against the Five Stripes. Red Bull have also won two of their last three meetings with Atlanta.
However, New York head coach Michael Bradley knows Saturday’s match presents a different challenge, particularly after another two-week stretch without a game.
“It’s been a unique MLS season for sure,” Bradley told reporters Thursday. “After the summer preseason when you start playing, you want to keep going for it. You want to build rhythm.”
The unusual MLS calendar has forced teams to repeatedly adjust between stretches of games and extended periods without competition. Bradley said Red Bull have attempted to use those breaks to continue developing their game rather than allowing the interruptions to disrupt their momentum.
New York will look to build on an impressive performance against Orlando, when 19-year-old Mijahir Jiménez scored twice in his first MLS start to help secure the victory. Emil Forsberg also found the net, while Cade Cowell recorded two assists.
Jiménez’s emergence could also provide Bradley with additional options in attack. Julian Hall, who has primarily been utilized as a forward, showed his versatility against Orlando by starting on the left wing.
Bradley said Hall’s ability to play multiple positions gives New York another way to adjust its attack while maintaining its overall identity.
“When you talk about building a team, you talk about how you’re always thinking about how to have as many options as possible,” Bradley said.
Hall isn’t the only young attacking player making an impact. Cowell and Forsberg have each recorded seven assists this season, tying them for ninth-most in MLS and seventh-most in the Eastern Conference.
On the other end of the field, goalkeeper Ethan Horvath has continued to play an important role for New York. Horvath has recorded 64 saves this season, sixth-most in MLS and fourth-most among Eastern Conference goalkeepers. He has also stopped 19 opponent crosses, ranking 10th in the league.
Horvath’s performance could be especially important against an Atlanta side led by Gerardo “Tata” Martino, who returned to coach the club after previously leading Atlanta to the 2018 MLS Cup. Martino’s history with the club adds another storyline to Saturday’s matchup.
Bradley is also familiar with Martino, having faced him during his playing career when Martino coached Atlanta and the Mexican national team.
“Tata, his career speaks for itself, and the success that he’s had, the clubs that he’s managed, the players that he’s coached,” Bradley said. “Personally, I’m really excited to have the opportunity to coach against them.”
For Horvath, preparation during the latest break has focused on correcting mistakes from previous matches and building toward Saturday’s challenge.
“We’ve just been training, trying to work on things, looked back on some things from the previous games, saw what was good, saw what wasn’t good, and just tried to work in the training and prepare ourselves for Atlanta this weekend,” Horvath said.
The goalkeeper also emphasized the importance of New York’s recent defensive continuity. Red Bull have used the same back four in their last two matches, allowing the group to develop a better understanding of each other’s strengths, weaknesses and tendencies.
“Everybody’s on the same page,” Horvath said.
That cohesion could be critical against Atlanta, particularly in a matchup where New York will attempt to maintain its strong historical record while navigating another difficult stretch in the MLS schedule.
Horvath said his experience in MLS has also reinforced the league’s unpredictability, regardless of where teams sit in the standings.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re top of the league, bottom of the league — anybody can beat anybody on any given day,” he said.
With another break now behind them, Red Bull will have an opportunity Saturday to turn their preparation into another result. New York will look to leave Atlanta with three points and continue its push toward the MLS postseason.
