Tom Barlow (Photo courtesy of the New York Red Bulls)
Despite pushing the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, FC Cincinnati, to the limit in Game 2 of their best-of-three first-round postseason matchup, the New York Red Bulls bowed out of the MLS Playoffs on Saturday night at Red Bull Arena, falling in penalties (8-7) on the heels of a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes.
Following a 3-0 Game 1 loss in Cincinnati on Oct. 29, Tom Barlow put the underdog Red Bulls in the 45th minute to provide an immeasurable lift just before the break. But a free-kick inside the Cincinnati half from New York defender Andres Reyes saw the ball deflected within the first 10 yards, sparking a Cincinnati break that ended in Aaron Boupendza drawing the visitors level in the 75th minute to force the penalty shootout.
With a save in the third round of penalties by Carlos Coronel, the Red Bulls had a chance to win it in the fifth round, but star defender John Tolkin missed. In the ninth round, Coronel saved a shot by Yerson Mosquera but New York’s Serge Ngoma skied his chance over the bar.
After Santiago Arias scored for Cincinnati, another Reyes mistake — he made two costly blunders in Match 1, too — ended the Red Bulls’ season when his penalty was saved.
“It’s tough, especially at home,” Barlow said. “I feel like we’ve been playing well here and had that 1-0 lead and felt like we kind of gave up a cheap goal. And then in penalties, we had an opportunity to put it away, and we didn’t, and that’s just the way it goes sometimes. I’m proud of the boys for continuing to fight all year long and getting into the playoffs. We’ve made some really big steps. It was a tough game tonight, but I’m proud of the team.”
The disappointment of elimination was paired with moments of reflection for a team that was bottom of the table in May after winning just one of its first 11 matches. It prompted the removal of head coach Gerhard Struber and the promotion of Troy…
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