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2 <!DOCTYPE message PUBLIC
"-//TSN//DTD Preview 1.0/EN" "MLS_Preview_XML.dtd">
4 <XML_File_ID>16452086</XML_File_ID>
5 <heading>AHV!MLSPREVIEW-RBN-DCU
</heading>
6 <game_id>2439</game_id>
7 <schedule_id>2439</schedule_id>
8 <category>Previews
</category>
11 MLS Preview from The Sports Network (ET)
13 <Game_Date>08/
29/
2012</Game_Date>
14 <Game_Time>08:
00 PM
</Game_Time>
15 <vteam id=
"996">Red Bull New York
</vteam>
16 <hteam id=
"999">D.C.
</hteam>
18 Wednesday, Aug.
29,
2012
22 New York (
13-
7-
6) at D.C. United (
12-
9-
4),
8 p.m.
27 Washington, D.C. (Sports Network) - D.C. United continues a busy stretch on
28 Wednesday night against Red Bull New York, and its recent loss at the Montreal
29 Impact is already "forgotten," according to Andy Najar.
33 United coach Ben Olsen did not start a number of regulars over the weekend and
34 D.C. lost,
3-
0, in Montreal. But with its fourth match in just
11 days on the
35 horizon against New York, Olsen knew players needed a rest.
39 Montreal took advantage to win its fifth straight match, and moved within just
40 one point of United for fifth place and the final playoff berth in the Eastern
45 But with three matches in hand on Montreal, United can remain confident of its
46 chances of its first playoff berth since
2007 with a win against New York
50 "We've forgotten that already," said Najar about the Montreal loss. "There's a
51 more important game Wednesday. We are going in with the full intention of
52 taking all three points."
56 United (
12-
9-
4) has been impressive at home this season, going unbeaten in its
57 last
12 games since a season-opening loss to Sporting Kansas City. Another win
58 at RFK against New York, and Olsen will feel even better about his decision to
63 Although Olsen used Branko Boskovic, Dwayne De Rosario and Chris Pontius off
64 the bench, it was after Montreal took a two-goal lead. Like Najar, De Rosario
65 was focused on the upcoming match.
69 "We are going to keep moving forward," De Rosario said. "We are playing New
70 York on Wednesday; it's going to be a massive game."
74 Pontius scored a hat trick on April
22 at RFK as United beat New York,
4-
1. In
75 the teams' other meeting at Red Bull Arena, Brandon Barklage had two goals in
80 United can climb within four points of East leader Sporting KC, but the stakes
81 are even higher for New York.
85 The Red Bulls (
13-
7-
6) are just two points off the summit, and could move into
86 the lead with a victory over United.
90 New York snapped a three-match road losing streak Sunday, tying Sporting on an
91 own goal from Kei Kamara,
1-
1. With just a
4-
7-
3 record on the road, it was a
92 positive result for the Red Bulls.
96 The Red Bulls have earned the most points through
26 games in team history and
97 could have Thierry Henry back after he missed the Sporting fixture due to the
102 "He trained individually on Sunday, Monday, two quite hard sessions," New York
103 manager Hans Backe said.
107 New York could also have recent addition Lloyd Sam, who missed the last match,
108 but Backe was not sure about the availability of the midfielder.
112 Backe knows a tough match awaits in D.C., one that could ultimately determine
113 if his side can secure the regular-season title or even the Supporters' Shield
114 for the best overall record.
118 <time_stamp>August
28,
2012, at
06:
29 PM ET
</time_stamp>