For Amro Tarek, playing against an Orlando City side this weekend that traded him away during the offseason is in and of itself plenty of motivation. But in terms of the big picture, even more motivating for the now New York Red Bulls center back is getting another chance to start for a club that has developed its fair share of defenders over the past few seasons.



The Red Bulls acquired Tarek this offseason for a fourth round pick, a bit of a steal considering he made 20 appearances and 19 starts for Orlando a season ago. Twice capped by Egypt, Tarek is a physical defender with a keen aggressive streak. He’s instinctual, tough and relishes 1-v-1 battles.



For a team that presses and counter-presses like the Red Bulls, those 1-v-1 battles are common across the backline. That makes Tarek an ideal fit, and with Aaron Long away on U.S. national team duty, he’ll have a chance to show why.



“He fits the bill in terms of the person that he...