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The New York Red Bulls' 2017 season starts today: February 22, 2017. And it starts with a CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal against Vancouver Whitecaps.
There will be grumbling about inadequate crowds, inadequate preparation, the perceived inadequacy of the officiating, but this is the biggest game RBNY has ever played, on the grounds that CCL - a regional title - is a bigger tournament than MLS, a mere national league.
Whether the occasion seems significant or not, it is also simply competitive RBNY soccer before the end of February. Yes, it will fundamentally be two half-fit MLS teams playing in a half-empty stadium but that is not CCL's fault. And if RBNY win this game - and the next - and go on a run to in this tournament, the number of people who will claim to have seen this match will multiply. Be among them.
From our friends at livesoccertv.com: