It might be the game of the 2018 MLS regular season, as Supporters’ Shield leaders Atlanta United head to Red Bull Arena to take on their challengers for the title, the New York Red Bulls (1 pm ET | ESPN — Full TV & Streaming Info).
But the outlook isn’t quite ideal for the Red Bulls, as star scorer Bradley Wright-Phillips is out for the game, suspended due to yellow card accumulation. How can New York make up for BWP’s 19 goals in league play this year in a match that could determine the Shield winner?
We got answers from New Media Editor Ben Baer, Bobby Warshaw National Writer Sam Stejskal and contributors Charles Boehm and Alicia Rodriguez.
Who will fill Wright-Phillips’ goalscoring shoes on Sunday, and will it be enough vs. Atlanta?
WARSHAW: The obvious answers would be Daniel Royer and Kaku. I’m also going to keep an eye out on an Aaron Long header at the back post on a set piece. Atlanta have been vulnerable there all year, and it’s something Long is very good at.
STEJSKAL: He won’t be the one filling in at striker for BWP, but the obvious answer is Royer. The winger has 10 goals this season, second-most of any Red Bull by a wide margin. He’ll get his chances on Sunday. If the Red Bulls want to continue their chase for the Supporters’ Shield, he’ll need to finish at least one.
BAER: A lot of this depends on the formation Tata Martino puts out there on Sunday (two or three CBs) but both Kaku and Marc Rzatkowski have shown the ability to score from distance and that could happen again on Sunday.
BOEHM: I got Long and Alex Muyl scoring in a 2-2 draw.
RODRIGUEZ: I agree that Royer is probably the best candidate to fill BWP’s shoes for one game, but I also think the Red Bulls will struggle mightily without their star man and that will haunt them against Atlanta.
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