D.C. United 1 - 0 Red Bulls
Final
  for this game

Rapids hold onto draw in Kansas City

Jul 8, 2011 - 4:46 PM Harrison, NJ (Sports Network) - Red Bull New York will aim to build on Wednesday night's impressive win when it faces local rival D.C. United Saturday night at Red Bull Arena.

The Red Bulls are coming off a 5-0 midweek drubbing of Toronto FC, a much needed confidence builder after going 0-3-1 in Major League Soccer action during a two week road trip.

New York displayed a great deal of flair in the match against Toronto, perfecting the possession style of play that had eluded the club in previous weeks.

"Everybody wanted the ball. I saw a lot of the same things I saw earlier in the season," defender Jan Gunnar Solli told MLSSoccer.com. "We were all over them with the passing game."

The Red Bulls will be without their midfield linchpin, Teemu Tainio, who is suspended for Saturday's clash due to yellow card accumulation.

Meanwhile, D.C. United has drawn its last three matches and has managed just one win in its last six MLS contests. They will be eager to get a victory and avenge its 4-0 loss to the Red Bulls at RFK Stadium in April.

The match marks the first time D.C. and New York have faced each other following the blockbuster trade on June 27th which saw playmaker Dwayne De Rosario shipped to D.C. United in exchange for Dax McCarty.

With the trade, D.C. United forward Chris Pontius believes his side is better equipped in this edition of the Atlantic Cup.

"It's obviously a more defensive move by [New York] to put [McCarty] and Tainio in the middle," Pontius told dcunited.com. "And for us, it's more offensive to have Dwayne running out in the midfield, so it should be interesting to see how things play out on Saturday."

McCarty feels that the Red Bulls can come out on top if they are able to continue their dominating passing play.

"It's a mentality, we're going to keep the ball, keep possession, dictate the play," the midfielder told MLSSoccer.com. "When we create as many chances as we did [Wednesday], we're going to be tough to beat."

New York has a chance to distance itself from the Philadelphia Union at the top of the Eastern Conference, albeit momentarily as the Union will kick-off at 10:30 Saturday night.






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