Head coach Sandro Schwarz confirmed on Thursday that New York Red Bulls star forward Lewis Morgan will be available for Saturday’s Eastern Conference semifinal clash against NYCFC at Citi Field.
Morgan had not participated in team activities following their Game 2, clinching victory over the defending MLS champion Columbus Crew in the first round of the playoffs. He was initially scheduled to travel overseas to join the Scottish national team for its Nations League matches against Croatia and Poland but stayed in the United States instead.
Schwarz would not disclose the nature of the injury, instead suggesting that it was an increased workload that took a toll on him following a 2023 season that was limited to just five matches due to a hip injury that required surgery.
Morgan appeared in 29 MLS matches this season and represented Scotland in five matches, including three in the Nations League and one at the 2024 European Championships in France.
“It was a long season for him, and after his long-term injury and development, he played a lot of games,” Schwarz said. “He also played with the national team during the summer break, during our Leagues Cup. He then had the European Championships with Scotland. With all those travels, it is not easy to handle it every time.”
It was a benchmark season for the 28-year-old, who led the Red Bulls with 13 league goals to go with seven assists. He earned the 2024 MLS Comeback Player of the Year award for his efforts.
His contributions carried an attacking front of a Red Bulls team that had received inconsistent contributions from strikers Dante Vanzeir and Elias Manoel across the last two seasons. Morgan also created an impressive rapport with star midfielder Emil Forsberg, who is considered the engine of New York in his first season with the club after making the jump from Red Bull Leipzig in the German Bundesliga.
