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Red Bulls-United Preview

Jun 3, 2009 - 4:44 PM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

New York (2-7-3) at D.C. (3-2-7), 7:30 p.m. EDT

D.C. United saw their seven-game unbeaten streak end, but may be facing the perfect opponent against which to bounce back.

United look to get back on track Thursday night when they host the New York Red Bulls, who have yet to score on the road this season.

D.C. (3-2-7) was 2-0-5 in its last seven league matches before Saturday's 2-1 loss at New England. United held a 1-0 lead at halftime after a goal by Fred, but let it slip away by conceding an equalizer in the 55th minute and a disputed penalty kick to the Revolution in the 90th.

After a dominant first half, United felt like they gave the match away over the final 45 minutes.

"We were way too spread out," United midfielder Santino Quaranta said. "We weren't compact. I think that there is going to be times in a game with a wave, and we didn't do well. Balancing our attack and our defending, we didn't do well, and we need to do better."

The chances are good that D.C. will do better against New York (2-7-3), which has nine points - the lowest total in the Eastern Conference. The Red Bulls have played their worst on the road, going 0-4-1 while being outscored 6-0.

United gained a leg up towards retaining the annual Atlantic Cup these rivals play for with a 3-2 victory at New York on April 26. D.C. got goals from Luciano Emilio and rookie Chris Pontius in a 36-second span of the final minute to stun the Red Bulls.

New York fell to 4-10-4 against D.C. over the last six seasons - a span in which United has retained the Atlantic Cup every year. This is the final meeting between these teams in 2009.

It isn't coming at the ideal time for New York, which is starting a difficult road trip that includes a visit to New England on Sunday. The Red Bulls completed a 1-2-1 homestand with Saturday's 3-2 loss to Colorado.

"We are in a very difficult situation right now," New York midfielder Albert Celades said. "We were hoping to obtain more than four points while we were home, but that wasn't the case. Now we have to go get those points away from home."

New York star Juan Pablo Angel has a team-high four goals, but like his teammates is still waiting to break through on the road.

"It's getting harder and harder," Angel said. "It's hard to explain it or justify it. I just think we just have to work harder than we are right now and try to turn things sooner rather than later because it's almost halfway through the season and we haven't been able to get this sorted out."