The New York Red Bulls will try to remain unbeaten at home in the 2025 Major League Soccer campaign when they host Toronto on Saturday at Red Bull Arena.
Last weekend, the Red Bulls came back from a pair of one-goal deficits to claim a 2-2 draw with Orlando City, while TFC remain winless on the year after a narrow 2-1 defeat at home to the Chicago Fire.
Match preview
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Despite being behind twice in the opening half last Saturday, New York persevered to claim a single point for a second successive game.
Sandro Schwarz‘s men are unbeaten in their last three matches in this competition, having claimed four points from their two games played at Red Bull Arena.
They have a chance to collect at least a point in three successive MLS home contests this weekend for the first time since going unbeaten in their opening 12 domestic matches in Harrison last year.
The Red Bulls have won their last three regular-season fixtures when leading at the half, including a 2-0 triumph at home to Nashville SC in their home opener this year.
New York have points in 12 of their last 13 regular season encounters when netting more than once, with their only defeat over that stretch coming at home to the Columbus Crew last October.
The Red Bulls have emerged victorious the last seven times that they have hosted Toronto in the regular season, conceding just one goal during that run.
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Over in Toronto, the same old story from seasons past appears to be playing out again in 2025, with the Reds sitting bottom of the Eastern Conference with just a single point.
Robin Fraser is still seeking his first triumph as head coach of this team, as the Reds are currently on a three-match losing run in this competition.
Dating back to the previous campaign, Toronto are winless in their last nine regular-season affairs and have not won an away match in this competition since August 2024 (1-0 over the Houston Dynamo).
Toronto have been among the worst defensive teams in the league over the past three seasons and they have not looked any better so far this year, conceding 10 times in four games, tied with Orlando City for the most in MLS.
They have failed to win their last two regular season contests when scoring the opening goal, losing their last such game when doing so against the Fire last weekend.
The Reds have not won an away match at Red Bull Arena in normal time since a 1-0 triumph over New York City FC in 2020, though they knocked the Red Bulls out of the Leagues Cup last year at that same venue on penalties (5-4).
Team News
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The Red Bulls were missing Marcelo Morales, Lewis Morgan, Roald Mitchell, Cameron Harper and Kyle Duncan last weekend with knee injuries, while Adri Mehmeti had a sore thigh and Serge Ngoma was dealing with abdominal pain.
They were also without Mohammed Sofo because of a groin issue, Ronald Donkor sat out due to a shin problem and Wiktor Bogacz was sidelined because of a sore back.
Six more players will be out this weekend as a result of the international window, including Omar Valencia (Panama), Aidan Stokes (USA U-17), Tanner Rosborough (USA U-17), Curtis Ofori (Ghana U-20), Denis Gjengaar (Norway U-21) and Carlos Coronel (Paraguay).
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Gjengaar found the back of the net for them against Orlando City last weekend, enabling them to claim a single point.
Four Toronto players, Sigurd Rosted, Raoul Petretta, Henry Wingo, and Richie Laryea, were sidelined against Chicago with lower body issues.
Three of their players will be out because of international duty, with Tyrese Spicer joining Trinidad and Tobago, Jonathan Osorio called up for Canada and Deiby Flores named to the Honduran national team.
In their defeat on Saturday, Alonso Coello collected his 50th Major League Soccer cap, replacing Deiby Flores in the starting 11 as a central midfielder.
Deandre Kerr replaced Ola Brynhildsen in the attack last weekend and had the only goal for Toronto in a losing effort after only 11 minutes.
New York Red Bulls possible starting lineup:
Marcucci; Eile, S. Nealis, Hack; D. Nealis, Edelman, Stroud, Edwards; Hall, Forsberg; Choupo-Moting
Toronto possible starting lineup:
Johnson; Thompson, Monlouis, Long, Gomis; Longstaff, Coello, Cimermancic; Bernardeschi, Kerr, Corbeanu
We say: New York Red Bulls 2-1 Toronto
There are no signs that Toronto have fixed their leaky backline, and an opportunistic side like the Red Bulls should be able to take advantage.
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