On Wednesday the official schedule for the preliminary round of the MLS is Back tournament was announced by Major League Soccer with two weeks to go until the tournament kicks off at the Disney sporting complex near Orlando, Florida next month.
New York Red Bulls, as announced in the live group stage draw on June 11th, will face off in Group E against Atlanta United, Cincinnati FC, and the Columbus Crew. Needless to say it’s set to be a first round packed with intrigue and history alike. The Red Bulls and the Crew, both being original MLS clubs, have developed an underrated long-distance rivalry over years of intense playoff showdowns, and every RBNY-Atlanta showdown has been intense, dating back to the two clubs tangling in Atlanta’s inaugural MLS game in 2017.