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Chicago (0-0-0) at New York (0-0-0), 7 p.m.

Harrison, NJ (Sports Network) - Red Bull New York is poised for a historic night when it hosts the Chicago Fire in the Major League Soccer opener of its pristine new venue, Red Bull Arena on Saturday evening.

"[The new stadium] is something that I've been wishing, hoping, and dreaming about for a number of years and now that it's a reality it's pretty exciting and amazing," long-time Red Bull forward John Wolyniec said. "I'm really excited."

It's pretty safe to say the rest of the Red Bull squad is excited to get the season underway and put the horrific last-placed 2009 campaign behind it.

"First of all, because of what happened last year, it wasn't good enough," New York start striker Juan Pablo Angel said. "Then obviously the expectations the new arena has generated throughout the community [adds pressure to the team]. I am excited to be part of it. Hopefully we change the perspective of the supporters around this region."

The Fire are eager to get the 2010 season underway as well. The club is coming off its second straight loss in the Eastern Conference finals, and with a new coach at the helm, hoping it can get over the hump this season.

The game will likely be the debut of second-year goalkeeper Andrew Dykstra after the Fire released veteran goalkeeper Jon Busch earlier this week. That will put a little more pressure on a re-configured backline, led by Wilman Conde and C.J. Brown, to shut down Angel.

But the Red Bull back line will have its hands full as well, matching up against veteran strikers Collins John and Brian McBride, with the speedy Patrick Nyarko also likely to see significant minutes for the Fire.

"With the players like I have, I would like the Fire to play a possession game and be capable to attack from the wings into the box to the big forwards," de los Cobos told The Sports Network through translator Franco Sui Yuan.

The Red Bulls will be without veteran defenders Chris ALbright and Kevin Goldthwaite on Saturday, although Angel and speedy winger Dane Richards are expected to play with injuries. Midfielders Carl Robinson and Seth Stammler and defender Carlos Mendes are listed as questionable on the injury report.

For the Fire, midfielder John Thorrington and forward Calen Carr are listed as questionable with knocks.