Predictions: New York Red Bulls vs D.C. United

Last Match: Sporting Kansas City 1-1 New York Red Bulls

Correct Prediction (W/L/D & Score):

• Jason Iapicco
• Truman
• Let's Play FIFA

Correct W/L/D only:

• None

Incorrect Prediction:

• Aaron Bauer
• Anthony Ali
• Austin Fido
• Frank Maduri
• Lester Townsend
• Matt Coyne (no prediction)
• Patrick MacDonald
• RBR Guest: Daniel Feuerstein

You can follow our predictions all season long using our Google Spreadsheet. Here's our predictions for this week:

Match 2 - New York Red Bulls vs D.C. United

Aaron Bauer: 2-1 Loss

Ever since I learned Zack Wheeler is going to be lost for the 2015 Mets season I have been reminded that sports are awful and never give you personal satisfaction and fulfillment. Thus I believe we will lose 2-1 on a stoppage time goal to our biggest rival, at home, with the world watching. Can it be any other way? (Also DC is still apparently good, that may factor into this match.)

Anthony Ali: 2-1 Loss

As much as I hate predicting a loss against D.C., the defense has yet to earn my vote of confidence. I like seeing constancy in a back line and this week, we'll be trotting out a new one because of the injuries to Roy Miller and Ronald Zubar. Felipe Martins will most likely keep playing in his defensive mid role, despite his tendency to wander forward. This is going to create a giant hole in the midfield, the way I see it. What it comes down to for the most part is chemistry, and I think D.C. simply have more of it.

Austin Fido: 1-1 Draw

We're not very good at defending set pieces and I suspect Ben Olsen has noticed. Boundless optimism has me thinking we'll conjure a goal from somewhere - maybe through the unorthodox route of actually feeding Bradley Wright-Phillips in front of goal. But I think one of DC's big men will crash the box and steal a point from a team still transitioning from what it thought it was to what it is hoped it will become.

Frank Maduri: 3-1 Loss

I do not like to admit it but the D.C. United are a very good team returning most of the core players from their run to the top of the table in the East last season. The Red Bulls struggled on set pieces and that is where the United have thrived in the past at converting goals. The instability on the defensive back line for NYRB gives me pause as well, I could see a scenario where one of the younger defenders makes a miscue leading to a penalty shot and that is how I see the third goal being conceded. Zubar may or may not play and may not be effective when he is in there. The aggressive DC offensive players will exploit that mismatch. The Red Bulls goal will come from Lloyd Sam, who as my wife observed in the SKC match is "the only guy they have who plays all out". Tough loss for the fans and the club but they have too many issues right now in the midfield and the defense to beat a top-tier team like DC.

Jason Iapicco: 2-1 Win

Listen to this week's Red Bull Rant.

Lester Townsend: 20-17 Win

The Red Bulls are getting slaughtered at halftime. But then Shane Falco shows up and leads to the team to victory. Get it? It's a movie reference. Harf harf harf.

(Because Jason is forcing me to be serious at least once this week: 4-1 Loss)

Let's Play FIFA: 1-1 Draw

Watch this week's Let's Play FIFA (Full or Highlights).

Matt Coyne

No prediction submitted.

Patrick MacDonald: 2-1 Loss

Listen to this week's Red Bull Rant.

RBR Guest - Jason Anderson: 1-1 Draw

Listen to this week's Red Bull Rant.

Truman: 2-1 Win

Listen to this week's Red Bull Rant.

Steve Toto: 2-1 Loss

The Red Bulls still haven't put the pieces together at CB. Arrieta is going to do just as well as Dom Dwyer did, but will convert once or twice. Zubar is still a big question mark, so Andrew Jean-Baptiste may get the start and he hasn't proven himself yet. The Red Bulls should get one, most likely set up or executed by Lloyd Sam. Additionally, Martins doesn't have the same chemistry with Dax as Eric Alexander did. Their midfield spacing and support will be crucial to keeping DC from scoring even more. The team is going to have to prove to me that they can put together a full 90 with all of the new moving pieces they acquired in the offseason. Not there yet.