Credit: New York Red Bulls
Recap: New York Red Bulls Defeat FC Cincinnati 3-1
Published: Sunday, July 21, 2024
by Miguel Freire
Red Bull Arena was the place to be last night, as the contest between two of MLS’s top teams resulted in the New York Red Bulls defeating FC Cincinnati 3-1. The matchup showcased two clear powerhouses in the Eastern Conference teams square off, and it didn’t take long for the game to find its first goal.
Right from the start, New York showcased their lively and energetic mindset, and were quickly rewarded for their approach. Just seven minutes into the match, Lewis Morgan found himself wide open inside the eighteen-yard box and made no mistake on capitalizing. The opportunity came from Elias Manoel, as the striker timed his pace perfectly to get behind the Cincinnati backline. He played the low cross into the feet of Morgan, who gave the hosts the lead.
Midway through the first half, the Red Bulls nearly added a second, as Daniel Edelman just clipped the outside of the right post on a shot from about 20 yards out. The hosts continued to knock on the door, but had to settle for just a one goal lead after the first forty-five minutes.
FC Cincinnati did not create too many opportunities to trouble Carlos Coronel in goal, who only had to make one save in the first half. The visitors had multiple set piece opportunities from corners and free kicks, but never looked threatening.
The start of the second half was also very similar to the first. Just seven minutes into play, Kyle Duncan scored his first goal of the season, as he launched a rocket into the top left corner past a helpess Cincinnati goalkeeper Roman Celentano. The defender might have secured himself a potential goal of the season nomination.
However, the hosts were not done yet, as moments later they found their third of the night. Once again Lewis Morgan was in the right place at the right time, and found the back of the net for his second goal of the game. With a 3-0 lead, the game appeared to be completely away from Cincinnati.
However, the visitors were still determined to put some nerve into the Red Bulls backline, and were able to carve out an opportunity in the sixty-seventh minute. Cincinnati forward Corey Baird just narrowly stayed onside as he slotted the ball past Coronel, giving his squad a tiny boost of hope to play spoiler.
But New York made sure to regain their momentum quickly by locking down on defense, and were able to seal the deal of victory at the conclusion of ninety minutes.
After drawing their last three games, the Red Bulls were prepared for Cincinnati's challenge from the first whistle; their performance today showed that ferocious mentality more than ever.
During the post-game press conference, one reporter asked Duncan if this win felt sweeter with it being against Cincinnati, noting the history and results of past matchups between the two sides. Taking just a second to respond, Duncan slightly raised his eyebrows, and replied with a small smile, “I think it felt sweeter being that we needed these 3 points today.”
With this win, they move up to 41 points in the Eastern Conference standings, and currently sit in fourth place. They now look forward to a League Cup matchup of hosting Toronto FC on July 27th.
Miguel Freire can be reached at miguel.freire@student.shu.eduPosted in: sports,