New York Red Bulls are riding high off of a tremendous start to the 2024 season and welcome the Chicago Fire into Red Bull Arena on Saturday with hopes of remaining top of the Eastern Conference. The team has remained consistent defensively thus far in 2024 and added the missing offensive pieces necessary to make a strong run through the season with a healthy Lewis Morgan and Dante Vanzeir playing alongside captain Emil Forsberg.
The stars have played well for the Red Bulls but it’s the younger players that have produced for the club as well. Head coach Sandro Schwarz has been high on Wiki Carmona who has started the last few games following a goal against Inter Miami. The team also has relied on Peter Stroud who has made seven starts thus far for the club in 2024. Both are players groomed through the Red Bulls II system which has produced very serviceable players in Major League Soccer since the start of the reserve club in 2015. Head coach Schwarz has shown that his is more than trusting in that system to help him push the team forward.
The Chicago Fire come into Red Bull Arena as a bit of a mystery. They have been inconsistent thus far in 2024 with only two wins and two draws. The Fire have yet to win away from Soldier Field this season and combined with New York’s undefeated record at home, makes it a mighty hill to climb for the visitors. Joining them will be long-time striker Tom Barlow, who signed with the midwest club this off-season as a free agent. From his end, expectations are to make it a raucous reunion and spoil New York’s perfect record at home.
PROJECTED STARTING XI:
New York Red Bulls: Coronel; Tolkin, Reyes, Eile, Duncan, Amaya, Stroud, Carmona, Forsberg, Morgan, Vanzeir
PLAYER AVAILABILITY:
Corey Burke (out) – groin injury
Serge Ngoma (out) – knee injury
Sean Nealis (questionable) – groin injury
photo by Matt Kremkau