Sunday, April 22, 2012; 6:00PM ET. In a warm, noisy atmosphere at our nation’s capital, New York visits Eastern Conference foes DC United.

The Good Guy(s): New York Red Bulls, Ryan Meara

Truly homegrown talent, Meara, 21, grew up in Yonkers and attended local Fordham University before going to the Red Bulls as the 31^st overall pick in the MLS SuperDraft. Since joining, he has asserted himself as starting keeper, playing the full 90 in each of their first six games. However, he has conceded over 1.5 goals per game on average and has yet to keep a clean sheet. So why is he earning such positive recognition from around the league? Tied for second overall with 22 saves – one less than the current leader – he has really been quite better than the stats show. Of course, he has also been heavily aided by his side’s free flowing attack, which has scored 16 times (that’s nearly 3 per game). Nevertheless, if the 31 shutouts in his college career are any indication, I expect he’ll get off the mark soon. What better game to do it than this.

The Bad Guy(s): DC United, Nick DeLeon

If Meara is the hometown ‘good guy’, DeLeon, also 21, is the rebel. Appropriate then that he attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas – the Rebels of Sin City, mind you – before transferring to the University of Louisville. He was picked up seventh overall by DC United and came on to score in his first appearance, earning a starting role for every game thereafter. He runs a well-orchestrated midfield and plays an important role in his side’s attack, scoring two and creating three already. DeLeon will need to continue that run of form for a side that is struggling somewhat at both ends; they’ve only scored 8 and conceded 7 in their first seven games. If he is to grab a third this season, what better game to do it than this.

The Story

What is a good melodrama without some…drama? Despite what some journalists are saying, I can prove this isn’t ‘Act One’ for these early Rookie of the Year candidates.

It was the 10^th of September. The year was 2010. It was an overcast 72-degree night and some 1,113 spectators looked on (this all according to the box score review). Meara had led his Fordham Rams nobly down to Kentucky for the first time in school history. There, waiting for them, stood DeLeon and his squad (I assume it all went something like that). As the game wore on in the second half, Louisville struck twice past Meara, one assisted by DeLeon, and Fordham left defeated. Yes, this was ‘Act One’…seen by few, retold by even fewer. Now, years later, we watch wondering – no, hoping – that Meara and the Red Bulls can triumph in an important Eastern Conference battle.

But still the plot for this saga goes further than the spotlight and beyond the young characters on which it shines. Every story has a betrayer, someone you once called a teammate, now an enemy – for this tale, it is Dwayne De Rosario. New York made a real mess in their trade with Toronto, losing the 12^th overall pick to procure the services of the MLS All-Star. However, his place in the side was brief and he was offloaded shortly to none other than DC United.

More notable than De Rosario, however, is what could have been for the Red Bulls. Consider that with the 12^th pick Toronto chose Aaron Maund, yet another 21 year old. If you haven’t heard, Maund is the 6 foot 1 inch center back filling the void left by Toronto’s German international Torsten Frings. Not a bad player, then. As Sports Illustrated’s Grant Wahl noted, it is hard to believe in “a spine” that is made up of Rafa Márquez – who I think we can all agree is more of a liability at this point – Wilman Conde and rookie goalie Ryan Meara. Well, with Márquez suspended by the MLS Disciplinary Committee (like I said: liability) and Conde out injured, that 12^th pick lost could be all the more costly.

If the Red Bulls do struggle to defend against DeLeon and DC United, they will lose; and fans will be left to wonder about what could’ve been a long-time partnership in the back. Then, as for our hero, Meara will once again head back to the city, defeated by DeLeon.

We can hope for Macbeth-inspired twists and turns and bloody battles, but because my Wiki-sources for theatre seem so highly unreliable, there is just one thing I know for certain: Sunday night will merely be ‘Act Two’ in a long, dramatic tale of young MLS talents.

By Matthew Guinto; Red Devil, Red Bull, Ready... follow him on twitter @mattguintofooty