The New York Red Bulls look to stave off elimination as they host FC Cincinnati at Red Bull Arena in Game 2 of their best-of-three first-round series in the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs.
Cincinnati dominated Game 1 as Alvaro Barreal picked up a brace and Luciano Acosta also scored for the Orange and Blue, who have won four of their last five against New York and two in a row in the playoffs.
Should the Red Bulls win, a third and deciding game would take place in Cincinnati next Saturday.
Team news
Cory Burke (groin), Lewis Morgan (hip), and Dante Vanzeir (back) have all been ruled out while Hassan Ndam is in contention to feature in some role as he battles a thigh injury.
London Aghedo (leg) and Stiven Jimenez (lower leg fracture) will miss out but Santiago Arias and Nick Hagglund are dealing with leg injuries and are listed as questionable.
Predicted lineups
New York Red Bulls: Coronel; Tolkin, S. Nealis, Reyes, Duncan; Luquinhas, Amaya, Yearwood, Fernández; Manoel, Barlow
FC Cincinnati: Celentano; Murphy, Miazga, Mosquera; Barreal, Nwobodo, Moreno, Gaddis; Acosta; Badji, Vázquez
Ones to watch
John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls)
Playing as a defender for the entirety of the 2023 season, Tolkin has adapted brilliantly to his new position while also providing important goals as he scored against Nashville to get New York into the playoffs and again against Charlotte in the Wild Card Game.
Luciano Acosta (FC Cincinnati)
With 17 goals and 14 assists on the season, the Argentine will be named MVP when the winner of the award is announced and he again showed why in Game 1, scoring the Orange and Blue's second goal and setting up the third.
Previous meetings
As mentioned above, Cincinnati defeated New York 3-0 in Game 1 as Barreal scored twice and Acosta also found the back of the net to give the Orange and Blue the series lead.
Barreal and Jesus Moreno combined for a few passes before the latter received a pass from the former and he beat Red Bulls goalkeeper Carlos Coronel with a low shot.
Acosta, the runaway favorite for MLS MVP, doubled Cincinnati's lead on 35 minutes, a poor back-pass by Frankie Amaya resulted in Coronel who sent the contested clearance to Acosta, whose curler from long distance found the back of the net.
The scoring was complete a minute from time as Acosta intercepted a pass and chipped it over the defense where Barreal controlled it and volleyed home from inside the box.
How to watch
The match will be streamed live on Apple TV + with Kevin Egan serving as the play-by-play announcer and Kyndra de St. Aubin as analyst.
Kickoff is set for 7pm Eastern time.