The Red Bulls’ playoff game against the Columbus Crew on Sunday is already the biggest match at Red Bull Arena this season. The result will determine if it is also the last.
As the regular-season champion in M.L.S., the Red Bulls were guaranteed to host the league’s title game — but only, of course, if they advanced that far. The lure was not an insignificant one: The home team is unbeaten in the three M.L.S. Cup finals since the league abolished neutral-site championship games in 2011.
Everything was on track for the Red Bulls until they lost at Columbus last Sunday, 2-0, in the first leg of the Eastern Conference final.