HARRISON, NJ – Less than three days after the Union dispatched the Red Bulls out of the U.S. Open Cup semifinal on Wednesday, they resume their usual hostilities as a team looking to put them and their season in rear view mirror. For the Red Bulls, the long climb back to the playoff picture begins as they have seven games to qualify for the postseason.
The match began just like it did on Wednesday night, free kicks won by the Union and Red Bulls but nothing came from it as both defenses managed to keep things quiet in the opening minutes.
Red Bulls had a great scoring chance in the 16th minute, but Serge Ngoma couldn’t square his header at the target, and the ball bounced wide from the net. Red Bulls weren’t done as they started a fast break shortly after, tried to move the ball around the Philadelphia defense, but Eric Maxim Chuopo-Moting headed the ball straight to Andre Blake, killing the chance.
Red Bulls got possesion of the ball in the 38th minute and started a break with Serge Ngoma leading the attack. However, Ngoma skied his shot into the seats as the home supporters groaned in disappoiment.
Other than the the attacks by the Red Bulls, the first half ended scoreless, although it was Philadelphia that was held without a shot on goal.
In the 65th minute, Bruno Damani was somewhat fouled by Carlos Coronel in the box and was awarded a penalty kick, but after a check with the VAR, the penalty was awared, but Coronel saved the shot by Damiani as the crowd roared to life.
Red Bulls spent most of the match looking for a goal, and they found it in the 74th minute. Emil Forsberg played a through ball over to Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting who spotted an open Dylan Nealis and blasted it into the bottom left corner, sending the home supporters to near delirium.
Philadelphia had a chance to eaquilize in the 84th minute, as the ball abounced around near the box, and Quinn Sullivan pounced on the loose ball and got it over to Kai Wagner, but his shot whistled just wide to his right.
With the season on the line, the Red Bulls stepped up their defense thanks to heroric efforts by Tim Parker to get the ball away at times to kill the clock and seal the win. And when the final whistle was blown, the Red Bulls finally tagged the Philadelphia Union with thier first loss in 15 matches.
Starting Lineups:
New York Red Bulls: Carlos Coronel, Raheem Edwards, Tim Parker, Noah Eile, Dylan Nealis (74′), Daniel Edelman, Peter Stroud, Serge Ngoma (Dennis Gjengaar 58′), Emil Forsberg (Julian Hall 82′), Wikelmann Carmona (Sean Nealis 90′), Eric Maxim Chuopo-Moting (Wiktor Bogacz 90′)
Philadelphia Union: Andre Blake (Andrew Rick 28′), Kai Wagner, Olwethu Makhanya, Nathan Harriel, Alejandro Bedoya (Quinn Sullivan 61′), Jesús Bueno (Danley Jean Jacques 78′), Jovan Lukic, Chris Donovan (Bruno Damiani 46′), Mikael Uhre (Tai Baribo 61′), Milan Iloski
Scoring Summary:
74′ | New York Red Bulls – Dylan Nealis, assisted by Eric Maxim Choupo-Mouting and Emil Forsberg
Disciplinary Summary:
77′ | New York Red Bulls – Dylan Nealis – Yellow card
90+6′ | New York Red Bulls – Wiktor Bogacz – Yellow card