Red Bull New York pulled off an impressive road win in the Windy City to snap a five-match winless drought on Saturday.
Michael Bradley’s bunch put in quite possibly their best defensive performance of the season in a 3-1 victory over Chicago Fire FC at Soldier Field. The back line of Matthew Dos Santos, Robert Voloder, Tim Parker and Dylan Nealis stopped wave after wave of Chicago attacks, stamping out the Fire.
Michael Bradley Praises Red Bull New York’s Defensive Solidity
“The collective mentality that just says, on days like today, you’re going to find a way, you’re going to make the plays that you need, and then you’re going to close up shop,” head coach Michael Bradley said during his post-match press conference. “That part is important. And so we’re really, really proud of the group. It’s an important three points.”
If not for Nealis’ 87th-minute own goal, Ethan Horvath would have walked away with a clean sheet.
Bradley offered particular praise for Parker.
“Tim had a really good game,” Bradley stated. “He helped us be solid. Obviously, his leadership, his presence, helps the guys around him. Certainly, his ability to deal with direct play and longer balls is something that really helps us. So that part was really important today.
“[I’m] really, really happy for Tim that in this last period, he’s been able to get on the field and play some good games, because obviously, the very beginning part of the season didn’t go the way that he would have wanted. But it speaks to Tim, his leadership, his class, that he still found the right ways with the group every day, and that when we needed him, he’s been ready, and so I’m really happy for him.”
Though Chicago played on the front foot for most of the first half, the Red Bulls gained a 2-0 advantage before the 50th minute thanks to well-struck goals by forward duo Jorge Ruvalcaba and Cade Cowell.
“Attackers want to score goals,” Bradley said. “So the part of rewarding themselves, the part of being able to add that to all of the other good work that they’re doing, that part is really important. So obviously in this last stretch, you guys have heard me mention, Cade is a really, really good guy, really hard worker.”
“For sure, the part of not having scored was weighing on him in little ways. And so from a personal standpoint, really happy that he could get his first goal that comes at a really important time, and we’re going to keep pushing him. Because I know that there’s even more there.”
Che Makes His Return, Choupo-Moting Scores Second-Half Penalty
Forward Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting saw his first significant action since March 8 against CF Montréal. He replaced Julian Hall at the start of the second half and scored an 81st-minute penalty.
Key defender Justin Che made his long-awaited return to the pitch after he suffered a hamstring injury on March 14 in Toronto.
The Red Bulls will next face the Columbus Crew at Sports Illustrated Stadium on Wednesday. Kick off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
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