New York Red Bulls vs. Club Tijuana Leg Two
The second week of the MLS season was the opening weekend for some teams, including the New York Red Bulls, on Saturday’s 4-0 thrashing of the Portland Timbers turned into a showcase for New York’s unmatched development system.
Jesse Marsch rested several starters ahead of New York’s CONCACAF Champions League clash with Club Tijuana and it presented him with an opportunity to show off several players who have been produced through the team’s academy and USL affiliate setup. The result was a 4-0 victory against Portland that provided some very good evidence to support the importance of developing your own talent.
Week two New York Red Bulls look to advance to the CONCACAF Champions League semifinals on Tuesday, March 13 against Club Tijuana. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET at Red Bull Arena.
The Red Bulls enter the match with a 2-0 lead was also filled with statement games, from Los Angeles FC’s resounding 5-1 mauling of Real Salt Lake to Atlanta United’s manhandling of D.C. United and Vancouver’s impressive road win in Houston. We saw New York City FC solidify its title contender credentials and Minnesota United help Adrian Heath exact some revenge against the Orlando City team he once managed.
The New York Red Bulls’ 4-0 win against the Portland Timbers was a refreshing reminder of the possibilities that a strong development system can create for a team.
Red Bull academy products Ben Mines and Kyle Duncan impressed in their MLS debuts, USL product Vincent Bezecourt was outstanding in a playmaker role and fellow academy graduates Derrick Etienne Jr., Sean Davis and Connor Lade also played well in Saturday’s romp, which left Marsch agreeing with the thought that it was the best showcase of the team’s development system since he’s been the Red Bulls coach.
Here are five reasons to attend Tuesday’s Champions League match:
Elimination Match
The Red Bulls will enter the second leg up 2-0 on aggregate and will be looking to put together a strong performance that will ensure their advancement in the CONCACAF Champions League.
History in the Making
New York are in the quarterfinals of Champions League for just the second time in team history. Getting a result in this match would advance the Red Bulls to the club’s first ever CONCACAF Champions League semifinals.
Luis Robles’ Fantastic Performance
Robles stopped a career high 13 shots in the first leg of the quarterfinals. Robles’ performance helped the team earn the clean sheet.
Head coach Jesse Marsch when asked about Robles, “Luis was fantastic.”
Streaking Bradley Wright-Phillips
Wright-Phillips has been in excellent form scoring three goals in the past two CCL matches. Two of the three he scored in the first leg against Club Tijuana. The forward also scored against the Portland Timbers in New York’s MLS home opener.
Plenty of Soccer Left to Play
While the team will have an advantage heading into the second leg, they will need another strong performance to advance to the semifinals. New York can advance to the semifinals with a win, draw or one-goal loss.
New York Red Bulls vs. Club Tijuana Leg Two will take place at Red Bull Arena on Tuesday, March 13 at 8 p.m.
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