The New York Red Bulls are starting to turn things around under new coach Troy Lesesne.
However, one thing they have yet to do is win on the road.
The Red Bulls (3-4-7, 16 points) will look for their first away win of the season in eight games when they face the Seattle Sounders on Saturday night.
New York has collected seven points in its first three matches under Lesesne (2-0-1).
“The momentum we’ve carried over the last (few) matches, you can feel it building,” Lesesne said. “The identity is becoming clearer and clearer about what we’re trying to do moving forward.”
Yet the Red Bulls are still 0-3-4 on the road and are coming off a midweek loss to visiting FC Cincinnati in the U.S. Open Cup that went to penalty kicks after a 1-1 finish.
The home team has won the past six meetings between the teams dating to 2010. The last away point came in a 1-1 draw in Seattle in 2013.
Seattle (7-5-2, 23 points) has lost its past two home matches after going 10 straight without a loss (7-0-3) in all competitions.
“It’s always positive,” Sounders forward Heber said of the team’s mood. “We’re still second in the West conference, so we don’t have to panic right now. We have three (home) games and we need to get the points, find a way to win, again. We’re experienced players, so it doesn’t affect us.”
The Sounders could get back forward Raul Ruidiaz (right hamstring strain) and midfielder Cristian Roldan (concussion). Both practiced this week.
Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer said the team is going to be careful with the oft-injured Ruidiaz.
“I’m not going to do something rash because we’ve had some bad results,” Schmetzer said.
Seattle could use a boost from Jordan Morris. The U.S. international tallied eight times in his first six matches, but he is scoreless in his past eight. Morris has managed just three shots on goal in the eight-game drought.
–Field Level Media
