Red Bulls Fall Short in Thrilling Finale Against Crew

Published: Saturday, October 19, 2024

by Spencer Gonzales

HARRISON, N.J. – It was a wild end to the regular season for the New York Red Bulls (11-14-8) on Saturday night, as they lost a thrilling 3-2 match to the Columbus Crew (18-9-6).

With Red Bull Arena buzzing and playoff seeding on the line, it was set to be an energetic night on the pitch for New York.

However, the fanfare of the pregame festivities was quickly smothered by an impressive goal in the second minute from the Crew. Cucho Hernández delivered a cross right to the head of Aziel Jackson for the score.

Just over ten minutes later, Columbus added another goal, this time from Yevhen Cheberko, with Jackson assisting. 

The blazing-fast Columbus attack repeatedly penetrated the New York defense, registering four shots on goal and 11 total in the first half.

The Red Bulls missed several opportunities in the first half. Their most consequential miscue came in the 29th minute when captain Emil Forsberg intercepted a pass near the Columbus box and passed it to Lewis Morgan. Morgan, however, failed to convert against goalie Nicholas Hagen.

The Red Bulls emerged from halftime looking more physical. They appeared motivated to fight back into the game, but something still seemed off. 

Perhaps the most frustrating miss came in the 50th minute when Cameron Harper headed the ball past Hagen, only for it to graze the left post and deflect back into play. Additionally, the left post thwarted another potential goal ten minutes later when Forsberg's attempt from the top left of the box also hit the post.

In the 66th minute, Serge Ngoma and Elias Manoel subbed in for Dante Vanzeir and Ares, hoping to energize the struggling Red Bulls attack. 

New York's fate shifted in the 78th minute when Morgan connected with Forsberg on a fast break for an electrifying goal. The score energized both the fans and the team, as they sensed a draw was within reach.

Then, in the 85th minute, a penalty by Camacho in the Columbus box set up a tying opportunity for Forsberg. His shot snuck past Hagen, leveling the game at two and igniting the crowd.

As the 90th minute arrived, the game entered a staggering nine minutes of stoppage time. The ball floated back and forth before Columbus's Malte Amundsen scored the backbreaking goal in the seventh minute of stoppage time, silencing the arena and securing a 3-2 victory for the Crew.

Despite the loss, coach Sandro Schwarz expressed pride in his team's comeback effort. 

“The second half was good... the reaction was very important, especially for our next game,” Schwarz said.

The Red Bulls will look forward to the playoffs, where they will face Columbus again on the road. 

Spencer Gonzales is the Station Manager for WSOU 89.5 and can be reached at spencer.gonzales@student.shu.edu. 

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