Red Bulls Blow Lead To Tie Union 2-2, Say Game “Feels Like A Loss”

After gaining a two-goal lead thanks to Sacha Kljestan, the New York Red Bulls collapsed and let the Philadelphia Union score two second-half goals on route to a 2-2 draw at Talen Energy Stadium in Chester, Pennsylvania on Sunday night.

Red Bulls Blow Lead To Tie Union 2-2, Say Game “Feels Like A Loss”

Red Bulls forward Mike Grella ignited his team’s play when he threw Philadelphia midfielder Tranquillo Barnetta to the ground early in the first half. However, New York eased up on their rough playing after that.

Kljestan, a midfielder who was selected to the 2016 MLS All-Star Game earlier on Sunday, scored his first goal of the game off an assist from forward Bradley Wright-Phillips in the 27th minute.

Kljestan scored his second goal in the final minutes of the first half, but his team seemed to fall apart after the break.

Union midfielder Chris Pontius was taken down in the box by New York midfielder Sal Zizzo, which led forward C.J. Sapong to score on a penalty kick in the 67th minute to put the score at 2-1. Pontius then tied up the game with a goal of his own a minute later on a cross from Fabian Herbers. 

Red Bulls head coach Jesse Marsch then blamed his own defenders as much ore more than he credited Pontius, who scored two similar goals from the left wing against New York in Philly’s come-from-behind 2-1 US Open Cup victory on June 29th. Marsch seemed particularly upset because his team allowed two goals even after Brazilian Union midfielder Ilsinho was ejected in the 72nd minute for elbowing Red Bulls defender Connor Lade. 

“Frankly, it’s not doing well on the back side,” Marsch said. “It’s partly Chris Pontius but it’s also just that whoever plays right back for us doesn’t do the job. If they do the job, then it doesn’t trouble us because they were late and asleep and don’t see that Chris is running. And all of a sudden, Chris has tap-ins. I mean, it’s as easy as can be for him. All he has to do is run down the field and tap the ball into the goal four times.”

Philadelphia then continuously fired shots at the net and Marsch was forced to put in a fifth defender late in the game.

The Red Bulls coach wasn’t disappointed with every aspect of his team’s performance, however, adding that, unlike in the Open Cup defeat, “the start of the first was good” with the Red Bulls threatening to score the third goal.

The Red Bulls have now fallen to 1-7-3 on the road. New York goalkeeper Luis Robles, who finished with six saves, felt better about the result, but was also disappointed that the team didn’t capitalize on the man advantage in the last 20 minutes of the game.

“We are a man up and there’s a point in the hand so at the very worst we finish with a point,” the New York goalkeeper said. “But then there’s still got to be this idea of how do we push the game and how do we maintain possession and how do we create some chances, whether it’s off the counter attack or off set pieces. And I think therein lies the frustration that we were a man up and we had to go to five at the back because we couldn’t seem to get control of the game.”

The Red Bulls will next face New York City F.C. at home on Sunday, and will then hit the road to face the Chicago Fire on July 31.

The Union will next play the New England Revolution in the US Open Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday.

HARRISON, NJ – MARCH 6: Sacha Kljestan #16 of New York Red Bulls dribbles past Steven Beitashour #33 of Toronto FC during their match at Red Bull Arena on March 6, 2016 in Harrison, New Jersey. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)