MONTRÉAL, QC – Faced with possible elimination from the playoff picture this season, the team, still looking for their second road win since April, traveled to Stade Saputo in Montréal to face a CF Montréal team long eliminated from playoff contention, but a dangerous side with nothing particularly to lose.
Just sitting two points away from the last playoff spot, which is currently owned by the Chicago Fire, Sandro Schwarz and his young team must find a way to secure three points to put the pressure back on them with four games left to play.
Red Bulls needed to score first and in the 23rd minute, they did just that. From a corner kick delivered by Emil Forsberg, as he floated the ball over to Kyle Duncan, bounced it over to Tim Parker and he headed the ball in the back of the net giving the visitors the lead.
But Montréal did not sit back, they responded with a break with Hennadii Synchuck taking the ball and rushed toward the New York goal, but Carlos Coronel was able to defelect the shot away with a perfect save.
Red Bulls then doubled their advantage in the 29th minute. Off a throw-in from Marcelo Morales, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting took the ball, danced through the seemingly sleep-walking Montréal defense, and slotted the ball in the back of the net, as the home supporters slumped into their seats in stunned silence.
The perfect start with the two-goal lead was exactly what Sandro Schwarz and his team needed. However, one would be concerned about the defense as Montréal peppered Carlos Coronel with four shots on goal, he made five saves in the half, keeping Montréal scoreless.
Sensing that two goals were not enough the Red Bulls pressed for the third goal, in the 72nd minute, nifty pass allowed Emil Forsberg with a chance, but his shot drifited wide to his right, ending the threat.
Still pressing for that thir goal Mohammed Sofo saw a opening for a split-second in the 85th minute and launched a blistering shot that Thomas Giller barely got his fingertips on the ball, keeping the defecit at two.
For every chance the Red Bulls had to extend the lead, Montréal would answer with one of their own, except thier shots would either be blocked by the suprisingly stout New York defense, saived by Coronel, or simply skied into the seats.
The final whistle cemented a very important win for two reasons: One, they are able to keep their season alive, and second, that pesky road losing streak monkey is finally off thier backs as they get ready for the second installment of the Hudson River Derby next week at Sports Illustrated Stadium.
Starting Linueps:
CF Montréal | Thomas Giller, Bode Hidalgo (Dawid Bugaj 73′), Efain Morales, Jalen Neal (Brandan Craig 83′), Luca Petrasso (Fabian Herbers 84′), Victor Loturi, Hennadii Synchuck, Samuel Piette (Olger Escobar 63′), Dante Sealy (Matty Longstaff 74′), Prince Osei Owusu, Ivan Jaime
New York Red Bulls | Carlos Coronel, Marcelo Morales (Raheem Edwards 58′), Tim Parker (23′)(Sean Nealis 58′), Noah Eile, Kyle Duncan, Emil Forsberg (Mohammed Sofo 78′), Gustav Berggren (Daniel Edelman 57′), Ronald Donkor, Wikelman Carmona, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (29′), Julian Hall
Scoring Summary:
23′ | New York Red Bulls – Tim Parker, assisted by Kyle Duncan and Emil Forsberg
29′ | New York Red Bulls – Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, assisted by Marcelo Morales
Disciplinary Summary:
45+3′ | New York Red Bulls – Tim Parker – Yellow Card
45+3′ | New York Red Bulls – Noah Eile – Yellow Card
62′ | New York Red Bulls – Sean Nealis – Yellow Card