It was the type of match where everything started right for the New York Red Bulls. They attacked, they showed the flaws from the Chicago Fire defense, they looked good in their attacking runs and when they took their chances, it forced Chris Brady to make some big saves to keep the match scoreless. You could say that the way they performed they deserved the full three points, until that one moment when everything got switched up and forced them to change their tactics.
The 42nd minute changed everything when Andres Reyes did the unthinkable and it was a moment that you can shake your head in disbelief, but it happened. The Fire earned a free kick long the near side, and just before the ball was put into play. Reyes inside his own area was defending Tobias Salquist, harshly raised his right and hit Salquist in the face. Originally he earned a yellow card, but when the VAR called and got referee Sergii Boiko to look at the monitor, he changed the color of the card from yellow to red.
Quick thinking by Head Coach Sandro Schwarz to quickly insert Sean Nealis into the match to keep the backline intact, but that meant removing an attacking piece, which was sadly Dante Vanzeir. But what Schwarz did, was he quickly changed the game plan and frustrated the Fire all night long with a lot of defensive movements and if they had a chance to attack Chicago’s net, they were able to do it. They almost did it if not for Brady, and the posts. It was a solid performance for the Red Bulls that was deserving of a goal, but sadly their second scoreless draw of the season since the season opener in Nashville.
But when it comes to Andres Reyes, this is the issue that the fans fear, when he is on the pitch. When he plays cool and calm, he is a solid center back. But when he loses control or makes a mental error, it’s so costly that you wonder why he’s remaining on the team. Noah Eile and Sean Nealis should be the prominent CenterBack tandem from this moment on. Both men are calmer out on the pitch, they can read the play perfectly, and there are no issues when both men are together inside the backline when Kyle Duncan, John Tolkin, or Dylan Nealis are out as wingbacks doing their jobs.
When Vanzeir was subbed out of the match for Sean Nealis, you saw his frustrations and were very upset. He didn’t want to leave the match, but afterward, he knew it was the right decision. Yet these are the moments you will have when Reyes plays like Jekyll and Hyde. You will get the good moments, but when the bad moments show up, they are worse and very noticeable. He must do a better job at defending and keeping his emotions in check to prevent these types of situations from forcing the referee to either book him or send him off. Sadly, it happened again.
Now he will be suspended for the road match at Los Angeles FC, and the Red Bulls might have to call up another center back from their Red Bulls two squad at MLS Next Pro. We all know Reyes is a good person, and he is doing his best to limit his mistakes, but he has to find a way to improve his defensive play, or else it will truly cost the club late in the season, and that can’t happen at all.