3 p.m. vs. New York Red Bulls • ESPN, 1500-AM
Absences leave Loons with barely a team
Preview: Of the 29 players on United's roster, it's possible that 18 will be unavailable to play against New York (9-8-2). That would leave United (5-11-4) with just barely enough bodies for a starting 11, regardless of position. So not an ideal situation facing an Eastern Conference contender.
Quotable: "They've got a very definitive style of play. It's strange, I always talk about their shape, and the other night, they changed it for the first time that I've ever known them to change it. So that threw a little spanner in the works in terms of preparing for [Saturday]. ... They've changed it around a little bit, but I think they have a very distinctive way of playing. I think they're very good at it." — United coach Adrian Heath on New York.
Absences: D Gideon Baah (leg), M Mike Grella (knee) are out for New York while D Kemar Lawrence is on national team duty. M Bernardo Anor (leg), D Thomas de Villardi (Achilles' tendon), D Marc Burch (groin), G John Alvbage (thumb), D Kevin Venegas (quadriceps), M Sam Cronin (neck), D Joe Greenspan (concussion), M Rasmus Schuller (thigh) are out injured for United while D Francisco Calvo and D Jermaine Taylor are on national team duty. F Abu Danladi (thigh), M Miguel Ibarra (ankle), F Christian Ramirez (thigh), M Kevin Molino (ankle), M Johan Venegas (thigh) are questionable with injuries. D Michael Boxall is questionable while waiting on his visa and passport, F Brandon Allen is on loan from New York and thus not able to play while D Vadim Demidov is on his way off the team.
Megan Ryan
