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Wizards-Red Bulls Preview

Sep 11, 2009 - 7:03 PM By PAUL DIGIACOMO STATS Senior Editor

Kansas City (6-11-6) at New York (4-16-4), 7:30 p.m. EDT

Maybe a coaching change was all the New York Red Bulls needed.

New York looks for a third straight win under interim coach Richie Williams when it hosts the Kansas City Wizards on Saturday night.

The Red Bulls are in the midst of a dreadful season but have shown signs of improvement under Williams, who took over for the fired Juan Carlos Osorio after New York opened 2-16-4. That poor start included a 13-match MLS winless streak - it was 16 including all competitions.

New York ended that slump with a 3-2 win over FC Dallas in its first game under Williams on Aug. 23 before defeating defending MLS Cup champion Columbus 1-0 on Aug. 30.

With those victories, the Red Bulls (4-16-4) ensured they will finish with more points than the 2001 Tampa Bay Mutiny, who compiled 14 in the worst season in MLS history.

"We haven't had a lot to be happy about here this season," said Williams, who is 5-3-2 in his career after also having a stint as New York's interim coach in 2006.

"To win for a second straight time is a great feeling for all of us. We want to play for pride and for one another. It's been a tough year, an unfortunate year. Maybe sometimes change is a good thing and maybe this change helped in a good way. I can't put my finger on it."

The Red Bulls haven't won three in a row since August 2008.

"I don't know what happened in the beginning of the season, but we're playing at peace right now and I like it," said forward Dane Richards, who scored in the 63rd minute against the Crew.

"Luck is coming around again for us," Richards said. "... We want to give the fans something to cheer about."

The Red Bulls have sent their fans home without seeing a loss in their last 12 matches at Giants Stadium against Kansas City, going 5-0-7 since a 2-1 defeat April 19, 2000.

The Wizards (6-11-6) also are struggling as they try to stay in the playoff race. They ended a four-match losing streak and seven-game winless skid with a 4-2 victory at New England last Saturday before losing 1-0 on the road to D.C. on Wednesday.

Kansas City fell to 1-4-0 under interim coach Peter Vermes, who replaced the fired Curt Onalfo on Aug. 4.

"We felt as if we did something we've been talking about for a short period of time: trying to drive the game," he said. "We were driving the game offensively. ... But you create that many opportunities and you have to stick the ball in the back of the net. That's something we didn't have the conviction on."

Kansas City beat New York 1-0 at home April 23.