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Union-Red Bulls Preview

Apr 23, 2010 - 5:46 PM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

Philadelphia (1-2-0) at New York (3-1-0), 4:00 p.m. EDT

Before Philadelphia was even awarded an MLS expansion team, fans in the City of Brotherly Love formed a supporters' group and traveled to New York Red Bulls' matches to heckle the home team.

They'll get the chance to root for their own club against New York for the first time when the expansion Union try to become the first visiting team to win at Red Bull Arena on Saturday.

Philadelphia (1-2-0) gaining a team was due in part to the Sons of Ben fan group, which was instrumental in the push for a franchise. This matchup has already excited the visiting fans, who expect to have a sizable presence.

The Red Bulls (3-1-0) were the worst team in the league last year, but are off to a strong start under new coach Hans Backe and sit atop the Eastern Conference.

"We know New York is a much-improved club," defender Michael Orozco told the Union's official website. "We have to come out with a lot of intensity and get control of the game. I think we are very much looking forward to getting on the pitch again."

New York will be without key midfielder Mac Kandji, who will be sidelined eight to 12 weeks after breaking a bone in his right foot during training Tuesday. The 24-year-old from Senegal started all four league matches this season and scored in a 1-0 victory at Seattle on April 3 - a win that stopped New York's 27-game MLS regular-season road winless streak.

Kandji's spot in the starting lineup appears likely to go to Brian Nielsen, acquired last week on loan from Vejle in his native Denmark.

New York has won both MLS games at Red Bull Arena. It rallied for the first time as Juan Pablo Angel scored his first two goals in the second half of a 2-1 victory over FC Dallas last Saturday.

Angel didn't score in the first three matches after finishing tied for third in the league with 12 goals in 2009.

"There's a number of new players, there is also a new way and new shape that we're trying to play this year," Angel said. "We have not created the chances we should."

The Union have conceded two goals in every match, losing 2-1 at Toronto on April 15 their last time out.

One player looking forward to Saturday's game is forward Nick Zimmerman, a former Red Bull who was selected by Philadelphia in the expansion draft.

"I've been trash-talking a little bit with some of the guys," Zimmerman said. "Really, when you step out on the field, you're focused solely on the game. For those 90 minutes, you're in a battle."