Just as it took RSL only two minutes to score on Columbus in their first home match, New York Red Bulls scored early and never let up in a 2-0 victory over Real Salt Lake in the Swamp. The Red Bulls rode a solid game from Kevin Goldthwaite to the victory and Real never really threatened even after a questionable red card sent Jeremy Hall off in the 66th minute.
The play of the game for NY came on a physical challenge by Dane Richards against David Horst that left Horst on the ground and Richards unmarked to the right of the goal less than two minutes into the game. Richard did the right thing with it, quickly looking to cross it into Juan Pablo Angel but saw it redirected by a diving Nick Rimando. Unfortunately for Rimando, his clearance landed at the feet of Macoumba Kandji about 6 yards out, who calmly buried it into the far side of the goal. It marked the first goal of the season for a New York side that has struggled to find much offensive punch this season. (The only other goal credited to Red Bulls was actually an own goal by New England’s Jay Heaps.)
Real Salt Lake had plenty of chances to equalize in the first half, but NY did just enough and then some to keep the RSL attack on its heels and keep the final pass or shot from finding its mark. One very telling stat at the end of the half was shots on goal where NY had the edge with a decisive 3-0 advantage.
The second half saw better form from Real Salt Lake as they finally adjusted to the turf and started stringing passes through the middle instead of relying on long ball clearances every time NY pressured. However, the final touch still eluded them and the result would remain the same.
Real’s best chance came in the 50th minute when Yura Movsisyan placed a shot off NY keeper John Conway, who deflected the ball back into Jeremy Hall. The ball then took an RSL bounce and headed straight for goal, but Goldthwaite would have none of it though as he dove in and cleared the ball off the line. Some debate will rage on whether it was already over or whether Goldthwaite got there in time as the linesman was out of position and wasn’t able to call it either way.
NY struck again in the 57th minute when Kandji was able to find Juan Pablo Angel unmarked inside the 18 yard box to the right of the goal. Angel would make the most of it hitting a perfectly weighted ball to the far post effectively putting the game out of reach. The assist by Kandji was setup when Nat Borchers didn’t do a good enough job of cutting off Kandji, forcing Horst over to help out and leaving Angel wide open for his easiest look of the season.
Horst would be subbed out shortly thereafter as Jason Kreis looked to get more players into the attack. Escalada would be the happy sub, but in a little less than 30 minutes of play, he did very little to impress in his first minutes of the season. Other RSL subs would be Andy Williams and Ned Grabavoy who both got involved quickly but, like the rest of their team mates, were unable to find the back of the net.
Real will now have to look to regroup in seven days and hope that home will continue to be as good to them as the road has been bad with a game next Saturday against New England at Rio Tinto Stadium. The next road test won’t be for two more weeks when they take on Colorado at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. With two home wins and two road losses, let’s hope the road streak ends first.
-Truhlk
Fresh: Boz's RSL Art Gallery II
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