By: Lucky Ngamwajasat
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Three observations from the Red Bulls’ 4-1 loss to the Dynamo.
1. No Help
It can be argued that the game could have gone a different way had the Red Bulls gotten a break. After the teams traded goals in the opening 14 minutes, the Dynamo’s Mauro Manotas was judged to have been fouled in the penalty box by Sacha Kljestan. The Red Bulls’ captain stated his case that he made contact with the ball and not Manotas, but his pleas were not granted. Erick “Cubo” Torres stepped up and slotted the first of three goals on the evening with a well-struck penalty kick past Luis Robles.
Torres’ second goal of the evening also came under dubious circumstances in the 56th minute. Houston’s Andrew Wenger looked to have been offside and interfering with Robles’ line of sight, but the goal was allowed despite Robles’ protestations.
Had either call gone the Red Bulls’ way, this could have been a very different game.
“I don’t think it [was] a penalty and I think the third goal was offside,” head coach Jesse Marsch said after the match.
2. Torres Run Wild
Even with the calls going against the Red Bulls, it cannot be argued that their loss wasn’t deserved. Torres tormented a defensive unit that lost veteran center back Aurelien Collin to injury in the first half. The Dynamo created the better chances and had 10 shots on goal in the contest.
Torres was the spearhead of the Dynamo’s attack and ran New York ragged. He finished off a hat trick in style with a perfectly executed free kick in stoppage time past a helpless Robles.
“We just weren’t able to be very good defensively,” Marsch said.
3. BWP Nets Goal No. 71
After signing a new long-term contract with the Red Bulls earlier this week, Bradley Wright-Phillips celebrated his new deal with the match’s first goal.
Wright-Phillips continues to be one of the deadliest strikers in Major League Soccer. The question is: Who else can New York look to for goal contributions? Brought in to help alleviate the goal-scoring burden on Wright-Phillips, on-loan forward Fredrik Gulbrandsen missed the match due to injury.
Up Next: New York hits the road again next Sunday and takes on Orlando City SC. Orlando is 2-0 at home this season, but is coming off a 2-0 loss Saturday to the Columbus Crew.