• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Real Salt Lake-Red Bulls Preview

Oct 8, 2010 - 8:16 PM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

Real Salt Lake (14-4-9) at New York (14-8-5), 4:00 p.m. EDT

The New York Red Bulls control their own destiny to win the Eastern Conference. An international fixture date, however, has come at the wrong time for them - and possibly the perfect time for Real Salt Lake.

The Red Bulls look for their third straight win overall and fourth in a row at home when they try to end the club-record, 11-game unbeaten run by the defending MLS Cup champions Saturday afternoon.

New York (14-8-5) can earn the conference crown by winning its three remaining games, but this one won't be easy with Dane Richards (Jamaica) and goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul (Senegal) having been recalled for national team duty.

Real Salt Lake (14-4-9), meanwhile, is 5-0-6 since a 2-0 loss at FC Dallas on July 17, and it won't have any players missing at Red Bull Arena.

"Against the MLS Cup champions, a team that has played well this year, it is really good to see how we do," Red Bulls rookie midfielder Tony Tchani said.

One bit of good news for New York is that defender Rafa Marquez should return after missing last Saturday's 1-0 victory over Kansas City with a knee injury.

Richards, though, won't be easy to replace on the right side of midfield after he scored for the fourth time in five games last weekend.

"There are at least three options for how to play the right," coach Hans Backe said.

Coundoul made a career-high 12 saves last Saturday and will be replaced by veteran Greg Sutton. One of Sutton's two starts this year was against Real Salt Lake in a 1-0 loss Sept. 4.

"My job is to prepare and push myself and be ready because you'll never know when you'll be called upon," Sutton said. "So when opportunities like Saturday come around, I'll be able to help the team win."

Nat Borchers scored for the second time in as many games for RSL in last Saturday's 2-1 victory at New England. Despite its unbeaten run, Salt Lake trails Los Angeles by five points in the race for the best record in the West and the Supporters' Shield.

The club is looking forward to its first trip to Red Bull Arena after going 0-3-2 at Giants Stadium.

"We want to make a statement, especially (in New York)," midfielder Andy Williams said. "Big city. Big lights."

RSL is also motivated since New York will have its three designated players available, with Marquez joining Thierry Henry and Juan Pablo Angel. The Red Bulls are 6-2-2 with Henry in the lineup, while Angel is tied for second in the league with 13 goals.

"First and foremost is that when you add players of their stature, you get a bump from the rest of the players around them," coach Jason Kreis said. "I think everybody knows that Thierry Henry and Rafa Marquez have come in. It's not only what they've been able to produce, but the players around them."