Teams fight all season for the supposed home-field advantage, for the edge having the playoffs in their building is supposed to bring. But for the Red Bulls, that advantage has been at best a myth, at worst a disadvantage. They’ve lost every playoff game at Red Bull Arena, and haven’t won one at home in eight years.
After winning the Supporters’ Shield, they will try to snap their postseason home-field hex on Wednesday (8 p.m., MSG). After settling for a 2-2 draw in Sunday’s Eastern Conference semifinal opener at Houston, only a win in the home leg will be good enough to advance.
“They’re a playoff team, they usually do well in the playoffs,” Red Bulls captain Thierry Henry said of the Dynamo, who have won two MLS Cups and made the last two finals. “Hopefully it will be our turn to do that [Wednesday]. But you’re going to have to try to stop Houston as a team.”
And while Henry praised Houston’s playoff prowess, he had no answer for his own team’s postseason problems at home.
“No, I don’t have any explanation,” he said. “But everybody knows Houston has a great history in the playoffs, especially recently. And we have to be aware of that and make sure we perform at home. We’ve shown recently we can perform away and at home, so we hopefully we can carry on doing that.’’
Yes, Henry is right: The Red Bulls clearly have been the hotter team. They’re 6-0-3 over their last nine, unbeaten since Aug. 25 and undefeated at home since June 1. Against a tired Houston team playing its third game in a week, they should have the edge. But over the years, they have proven incapable of cashing in.
“Many would argue whether it’s really a truly home-field advantage. At this moment it is,’’ coach Mike Petke insisted. “Guys are excited. They love playing at Red Bull Arena. Guys have been up for these types of situations all year.’’
But the trend stretches far beyond this year. They have lost all three of their home playoff games since Red Bull Arena opened in 2010, and are 0-4-2 since their last playoff victory at home, edging New England 1-0 at Giants Stadium on Oct. 22, 2005.
So why would this year be any different?
“This is not last year’s team. It’s not the previous team, far from it,’’ Petke said. “You’re asking me to do things that I haven’t done all year, which is comment about the past. All I can answer that is — you can take away from it what you want — I feel like our team has been prepared this year tactically, both mentally and physically, better than any team I’ve been a part of.
“So read between the lines on that. I’m not going to point to last year and say from my mouth that we weren’t prepared. But perhaps I am saying that with my answer. You read between the lines.’’
With Jamison Olave serving a red-card suspension, Petke will likely start Brandon Barklage at right back and move Markus Holgersson back inside to centerback to deal with Dynamo target striker Will Bruin. Left back Roy Miller (Achilles) is back and could make the bench, while forward Bradley Wright-Phillips has been training full speed to get back in the starting picture.