The New York Red Bulls were the hottest team in Major League Soccer before the extended MLS break, and they will look to recapture that momentum tonight by beating the Chicago Fire at Toyota Park (5pm, NBC Sports Network).
The Fire have lost three of their past four in league play, but have been strong at home this season, boasting a 3-1-2 record. They will look to contain a Red Bulls attack that will be without French star Thierry Henry, but that will feature scoring leader Kenny Cooper.
For Chicago, the key for the offense will be getting Dominic Oduro going. The speedy striker has struggled for goals in recent MLS play, but should find some chances against a slow Red Bulls defense.
For New York, the key will be winning the battle in midfield, with Dax McCarty looking to continue an outstanding season for the Red Bulls. They are unbeaten in MLS play in their past six matches.
If you will be watching today's match, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.
Enjoy the action.
Terrible call on not allowing the goal. But it makes up for the bad call allowing the Pappa goal v. Dallas. So, we’re even with the soccer gods and still got 3 more points.
I don’t know what you do about those shadows. But there were several times the ball was off to the left of the screen and the camera operator didn’t pan over. Very frustrating.
wasn’t near the end line. Sorry I mis-typed.
Marc, I have referred as well, and nice try. The AR was 3 yards up the line as the ball was rolling to the goal. In fact he appeared to job rather than run to the end line. There was no issue with players near the end line because the AR was near the end line.
I need to comment here as a referee for nearly 30 years and I’ve only seen one replay. However it could be possible that AR2 had his vision completely blocked by the Fire sub warming up and apparently standing right on the endline.
Chris Rolfe is a central midfielder and has 7 goals, 2 assists in 14 matches against New York Red Bulls. He hates the New York Red Bulls.
One of many crimes committed against the beautiful game in the City of Chicago.
Rolfe is a beast.
So glad to see him back in the league. It was a crime Chicago management paid the clown Justin Mapp over Chris Rolfe.
Definitely a goal that was wrongly disallowed, but ref is staring into sun against shadows, plus a sliding Conde.
Chris Rolfe has been the best player on the pitch for either team by a country mile. So happy to have a player of his caliber back on the squad.
CHRISTMAS ROLFE!!!!!!!
I’m stunned. That was the most obvious goal, over the line, that I’ve ever seen been called NOT A FREAKING GOAL. A fan of neither Chicago nor New York, but that call has utterly embarrassed the game.
I still can’t believe it. This is a professional product. What’s wrong with MLS referees?
Darn right we got that goal. We’ve been running rampant over NYRB’s defense this half.
Jesus fin christ MLS that’s just freaking embarrassing. That wasn’t even close.
OMFG ROBBED
CHICAGO FIRE ROBBED
Dude, what the heck. We need a goal, take out one of the two CDMs, not our best attacking player.
Ugh.
Dax McCarty scoring a header against us? Dax McCarty? Really?
The camera work has been really bad up until this point. And yeah, it’s impossible to see what’s going on below the sun line.
I’ll start by saying it’s MLS’ fault for scheduling the game at this time, but it would help a lot to have the field lights on for the near side of the field. It’s pretty brutal trying to watch when about 1/4 of the field is in shadow.
As far as the Red Bulls playing, it’s like watching England in the Euro’s in that I understand the 11 on the field, but not where they’re playing.
Surely Pearce at LB, Miller at LM, Lindpere and Dax in the middle makes more sense than what they started with.
Oduro is a waste of speed. Ugh.
Why is Chris Rolfe not in the starting lineup?