HANOVER, N.J. — If there was a question about what the priority was early in the 2018 season for the New York Red Bulls, just look at how the team approached a busy stretch of three games in eight days earlier this month.
Jesse Marsch deployed a first-choice lineup for Concacaf Champions League quarterfinal games against Club Tijuana and then used a heavily-rotated roster — nine changes in all — in a 4-0 victory over the Portland Timbers in the league opener.
Marsch was facing a similar likelihood early next month with a league match against the Houston Dynamo sandwiched between the CCL semifinal showdowns against Guadalajara with the first leg April 4 at Estadio Akron and the return leg April 10 at Red Bull Arena.
But on Thursday it was announced the April 7 league game against the Dynamo was moved to Aug. 29 at 8 p.m. Toronto FC, which will take on America in the other semifinal, also received schedule relief with their April 7 game against D.C. United moved to June 13 at 8 p.m.
“I think we all know we need the break in the middle of the two Chivas games,” Marsch said. “That’s a good thing for us.”
Red Bulls goalkeeper Luis Robles was informed of the change by the media when asked his opinion in a post-training scrum Thursday — his focus is squarely on Minnesota United FC, the opponent Saturday night at Red Bull Arena.
But the Red Bulls captain was thankful his team can put the emphasis on Guadalajara for the entire week as his team will have the necessary time to recover between each leg.
“I’m glad that we’re able to resolve that,” Robles said. “I’m very grateful toward Houston and their organization for allowing us to do that because when you look at the competition in and of itself, it is leagues pitted against each other. MLS vs. Liga MX is pretty much the last two matchups. We have an opportunity to not only continue, but for MLS to take one more step toward history.”