One year after making a run to the MLS Cup title game, the New York Red Bulls need a strong finish just to make the Eastern Conference playoffs.

New York (11-12-7, 40 points), which lost to the Los Angeles Galaxy in the championship game, enters Saturday night's match at last-place CF Montreal (5-16-9, 24 points) two points behind the ninth-place Chicago Fire for the final playoff spot. Chicago still has five matches remaining compared to four for the Red Bulls.

That makes Saturday's contest at Montreal pretty much a must-win. New York's final three matches are all against teams in the top seven in the Eastern standings: rival New York City FC, FC Cincinnati and the Columbus Crew.

The Red Bulls are just 1-10-4 on the road this season, the worst away mark in the East. Only the Galaxy (0-

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