Red Bulls defender Andres Reyes (Photo courtesy of the New York Red Bulls)
The Red Bulls beat themselves just as much as FC Cincinnati did on Sunday night.
In the first leg of their best-of-three first-round playoff series in the Queen City, major mistakes relegated New York to a 3-0 defeat against the MLS Supporter’s Shield winners, putting their backs up against the wall ahead of Saturday’s second leg at Red Bull Arena. One more loss spells the end of their season.
“I’d say eliminating unnecessary mistakes [is key],” Red Bulls manager Troy Lesesne said when evaluating how his team can turn things around. “That doesn’t just mean the things that happen on the goals. So much so, the details of what our match plan was. I think our match plan was there. We didn’t execute it fully. So that’s what going to get to in preparation going into the next match because not a lot is going to change.
“I think there’s going to be some small adjustments. It’s kind of a unique situation. It’s the same opponent in back-to-back matches. ”
In this format put forth by Major League Soccer, a loss is a loss all the same — meaning a 3-0 result isn’t as damning as it would normally be under the usual aggregate format that’s popular amongst the game around the world. But the Red Bulls’ self-inflicted wounds derailed a night that saw the Eastn’s No. 8 seed ask an abundance of questions of No. 1 Cincinnati.
Luquinhas should have put the Red Bulls up in the 12th minute when he was alone for a chance at the center of the Cincinnati box. But he skied his first-touch attempt well over the bar.
In the 23rd minute, New York’s defense lost Alvaro Barreal — the Cincinnati midfielder who recorded a brace and provided fits for the Red Bulls all night — following a give-and-go down the left wing that played him in at a tough angle at the left post. Yet he still managed to finish at the opposite post past keeper Carlos Coronel.
Twelve minutes…
Read the full article here
