The absence of first-choice central defense pairing Julián Bazán and Justin Che was felt by Red Bull New York on a chilly Wednesday night at Gillette Stadium.
Red Bull New York were defeated 3-2 in Foxborough in a contest that illustrated the difference between a surging second-place club and another that has alternated above and below the playoff line throughout the second half of the regular season.
“So again, between early goals conceded and then goals on either side of halftime, the number of games where those things have come into play is big,” head coach Michael Bradley said after the defeat.
“Then we fight back in a really good way. We score two really good goals, get back to 2-2. At 2-2, we have some big chances to score the third. Then we can’t deal with a play in our box and they’re able to get to 3-2. So yeah, that’s a frustrating one tonight.”
The loss pushed the Red Bulls out of playoff position and adds uncertainty to the club’s postseason hopes with two matches remaining.
New York entered Wednesday in ninth place, holding the final playoff position in the Eastern Conference but fell to 10th when the final whistle blew with the Columbus Crew ascending to ninth.
Red Bulls’ Defensive Errors Prove Costly
The Red Bulls committed too many turnovers, took the wrong angles and weren’t quick enough to second balls in their own box, allowing New England forward Dor Turgeman to record a first-half brace and winger Dániel Gazdag to score the match-winning goal in the 83rd minute.
Second-half goals by Cade Cowell and Julian Hall evened the match at 2-2 with 26 minutes left in regulation and eventually an additional seven minutes of added time. Captain Emil Forsberg made a difference as soon as he entered the match by supplying the assist on Hall’s equalizing goal with a deft touch.
But a draw or inspirational victory wasn’t to be for the visitors, who sent defending MLS Cup champions Inter Miami to a 2-0 defeat four days earlier.
“We have the upper hand, and we can’t find a way to reward ourselves to score the goals that we should,” Bradley said. “Then when we need to be able to deal with some situations down the other end, we can’t.”
Red Bull New York will next travel to Geodis Park to face first-place Nashville SC on Sunday and will be without midfielder Ronald Donkor and defender Dylan Nealis, who will each be suspended due to yellow-card accumulation.
Though Bazán will be available after serving his suspension on Wednesday, Che who is dealing with a knee injury is all but certain to miss the trip to the Volunteer State.
Nashville clinched the Supporters’ Shield last weekend. Sunday’s match is scheduled to kick off at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
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