A Battle In The North: RBNY Draw TFC, 1-1

Pre-Match Thoughts

            My socks are finally dry after that rained out game against Inter Miami last weekend, just in time for RBNY to make to face Eastern Conference powerhouse Toronto FC with plenty of rest. It is usually a good battle between these two sides, which are usually something to look forward to when the schedule is released. Additionally, with Canadian teams finally returning to their home cities, this match would actually be played at BMO Field in Toronto, in front of Canadian fans. RBNY came into this contest on a three games unbeaten run and, though this matchup would be a tough one, I still felt that New York would walk away with at least a point. Though I’m always hopeful, I was eager to see what the starting lineup would look like, considering all of the rest the team got over the weekend.  

Starting XI

            As the lineups came out, it appeared that Head Coach Gerhard Struber finally had enough players back from injury to get the midfield diamond formation back into play. Of course, Carlos Coronel would start in net, as he has been an absolute dream this year. The back four consisted of Kyle Duncan, Tom Edwards, Amro Tarek, and John Tolkin. The midfield diamond featured Sean Davis, Dru Yearwood, Frankie Amaya, and Wikelman Carmona. As usual, Red Bull would have Fabio Gomes Netto and Patryk Klimala as the dual strikers up top. There was big news on the injury front, though: both Andrew Gutman and Caden Clark would be options for Struber, as both were on the bench for this game. Overall, I was glad to see RBNY back to the diamond midfield, as I feel this is the best formation they play with. As for players, with the injury list getting a little smaller from week to week, we can only hope New York have their complete squad healthy soon.

First Half

            As we were underway in Toronto, both teams looked to get their game plan in motion - this led to some fun back-and-forth action right from the start. These teams would get some pretty good chances early on, including two massive opportunities for Carmona. So far, Carmona has failed to step up to help this RBNY side, making me wonder if Clark would have been able to affect the score line were he in those positions. The energy and excitement seemed to diminish as th4e first half went on, with both teams appearing to take a step back and slow play down. The first half would fly by goalless - neither team really made a big impact and they would head into to the locker room with nothing to show for it. Overall, there were good and bad points for both teams, but in a game like this, you could see this contest was moving a bit slow. I feared the curse of a weekday game was upon us, as neither team looked lethal on the day.

Second Half

“Sure enough, after scoring the opening goal, RBNY looked aggressive and appeared to be pursuing a second goal.”

            As the second half kicked off, I was eager to see if either of these sides wanted to go for it. Before I could even finish my thought, a long ball form Tom Edwards followed up by a deflected shot from Fabio led to a cool finish from Klimala. This goalkeeping error by Alex Bono would see RBNY get a quick second half lead, less than one minute into the half. These are the type of plays you love to see - not letting your opponent get setup and taking advantage of a quick free kick, which left Toronto flat footed. We would see if New York had learned anything from their match Philly, hopefully going for that second goal and not allowing TFC back into this contest. Sure enough, after scoring the opening goal, RBNY looked aggressive and appeared to be pursuing a second goal. Unfortunately, they were unable to find that final ball. I feel this team is still getting used to playing with one another, so things like this will eventually come with time. In games like this, I fear that it only takes one mistake to lose everything we have built so far. Toronto and New York would continue to go back and forth - the goal had clearly sparked both sides. Both goalies would continue to be tested throughout the beginning of this second half - this had the makings of an entertaining last half hour of play. New York looked the better side so far, but were still unable to find a clinching goal. I started to get flashbacks of last week, after all of those missed chances led to New York dropping points against the Union. Sure enough, Toronto would get a big turnover in the midfield – though it led to a big save by Coronel, he left a juicy rebound for TFC’s Ralph Priso-Mbongue. Priso would finish it beautifully, putting a first time shot through the legs of many defenders to level the contest at one. This was the first time RBNY were poorly positioned all game, and it came back to bite them. After the goal, Toronto looked the much hungrier side and I feared this game was getting out of hand for this traveling New York team. This was exactly like the game against the Union, in which all RBNY could do was hold off the constant waves of pressure and hope for the best. The game would start to get chippy, with players constantly confronting each other, which began to force the officials to get involved. There was a scary scene in the final moments of the match, as Dru Yearwood would be pulled down while trying to advance the ball and would come up clearly in pain, holding his shoulder. RBNY fans continue to fear the worst in these situations, as we could once again see the Red Bull injury list grow. What hurts more is the fact that Yearwood has been massive for this side over the past month, filling in for several players in different positions. It would be devastating if he was out for any extended period of time. As the final minutes faded away, each team would get a few chances but nothing very threatening. A final, well defended corner and a missed header form Jozy Atlidore would see this game go final at 1-1. The home fans booed, as both sides felt they deserved something more than a draw.

“…Toronto would get a big turnover in the midfield – though it led to a big save by Coronel, he left a juicy rebound for TFC’s Ralph Priso-Mbongue…[who] would finish it beautifully...”

 Final Thoughts

            Here we are again - a well fought point and yet I still feel disappointed with this team. I’m wondering if this new system is starting to burn out this young side. This is the second straight game we've had a lead and looked poised to get a clinching goal, only to drop off towards the end of the game. With an away trip to DC over the weekend, RBNY simply cannot continue this trend. This team needs to be more clinical in the final third because, overall, we have looked great defensively. I really hope Struber and his coaching staff can get RBNY ready, because one of the biggest games of the year is only days away. If the Red Bulls want to remain in the fan’s good graces, beating DC is a great way to do it. However, after another poor finish in a game where they should have grabbed all three points, I do not feel as confident in this team. New York has dropped four points over two consecutive games: this team should be moving towards the top of the Eastern conference table, yet at the moment they are on the outside looking in.I know I may be getting ahead of myself since there plenty of games left to be played, but these are the types of games that can come back to haunt you. Here’s to hoping the weekend brings us more joy. On the bright side, RBNY are undefeated in their last four matches - let’s see if that streak can continue for one more week.

As always, I am here for it all.