The New York Red Bulls are in Music City this weekend for an Eastern Conference showdown to close out the 2023 Regular Season. The Boys in Gold will take on the visiting Red Bulls on Decision Day at 5:00 p.m. at GEODIS Park.
Nashville SC has already clinched a spot in the 2023 MLS Playoffs and can finish from fifth to seventh depending on results while the Red Bulls are currently sitting in the 10th spot with a chance to make the playoffs with a positive result and help. The Boys in Gold and the Red Bulls have faced off three times before with Nashville SC still winless against the Red Bulls with an all-time record of 0W-2D-1L.
Date: Saturday, October 21, 2023
Time: 5:00 p.m. CT
Location: GEODIS Park (Nashville, TN)
Radio: 104.5 The Zone and the 104.5 The Zone App
Finish Strong – Heading into the final match of the season, The Boys in Gold are looking to finish strong before heading into their fourth consecutive playoffs.
“We got a full week to build into this Red Bull game with some confidence of course from last weekend’s performance along with a very positive mindset from the group,” said head coach Gary Smith. “The hope is of course that we can finish the season on a high note and take ourselves into the playoffs in a good frame of mind.”
One More Match – While the Boys in Gold have already clinched a position in the 2023 MLS Playoffs, the New York Red Bulls are still sitting on the outside looking in with a chance to secure a spot in the playoffs this weekend. The Club will look to end the Red Bulls streak of 13 consecutive playoff qualifying seasons on Saturday.
“Yeah, they’re in good form right now. They have a lot of momentum and they’ve found results late in the season to give them a chance to make the playoffs, so we know they’re going to bring their best,” said Sean Davis. “Especially on decision day, these weekends are important for so many different teams and unpredictable things can happen, so we have to be ready from the opening whistle to match their intensity and I know our guys are ready for that. But it’s about us, it's about Nashville and it’s about what we can do as a team to continue building that momentum for our season and ultimately win the MLS Cup.”
“They’ve got a very unique style in this league. A very positive and aggressive team that’s full of energy and competitiveness and I’m expecting a very motivated version of that,” said Smith. “I would think they aren’t going to want that record gone without a fight and therefore I would think we’re going to see a very competitive and purposeful New York side.”
