new york red bulls x NEW ENGland revolution
The New England Revolution topped the New York Red Bulls 3-2 at Red Bull Arena on Saturday night, scoring twice in the closing 10 minutes to extend their winning run.
The Revs fell down twice on the night, the first by Wikelman Carmona's early goal and the second just three minutes after Gustavo Bou's hour-mark equalizer, courtesy of Fabio. Bruce Arena's team, on the other hand, showed tremendous determination to keep their lead in the Supporters' Shield rankings.
The Red Bulls got off to a fast start at home, netting the opening goal of the game in the eighth minute. Kyle Duncan sent the ball to Carmona, who scored a historic first MLS goal with a long-range effort.
The visitors kept their advantage going in the second half, ultimately scoring after 60 minutes. Bou scored his ninth goal in ten games after collecting the ball from DeJuan Jones on the left side of the field and unleashed an unstoppable blast from the fringe of the penalty area that went in off the crossbar.
The stalemate was short-lived, as the Red Bulls replied three minutes later with a goal. Caden Clark's fast pass toward the goal found Fabio, whose shaky touch didn't stop him from scoring from close range.
The Revolution's rhythm, though, remained intact, and their efforts were rewarded with a goal in the 84th minute. Carles Gil, who leads the MLS in assists, took a free-kick from the left side of the field and swung the ball into the area. Brandon Bye met the ball and scored from close range with a strong header.
A few minutes later, Buksa scored in the 91st minute to complete the Revolution's comeback. Gil's shot/pass attempt let the striker in, and he was rewarded for his perseverance with a close-range shot that beat goalie Carlos Coronel.
It was no surprise that the side featuring Bou, Buksa, and Gil ultimately triumphed in a five-goal thriller. Two of the league's most prolific strikers helped their club climb out of a hole created by a sluggish start, and it also helped that the Red Bulls struggled to produce quality opportunities while piling up shots.
[Photography by ICONIC photographer Jean-Laurent Gaudy]