Red Bulls, MLS, soccer
(Photo by Kaitlin Marold - JSN)

Red Bulls Fall to Revolution 3-2, Patty Klimala Scores First Goal

On Wednesday, June 23, New York Red Bull were in Massachusetts looking for their second straight victory against the Eastern Conference's best team, the New England Revolution.

  • NE Revolution (MGR: Bruce Arenas)
    • GK- Turner
    • DEF- Bye, Farrell, Kessler, Jones
    • MID- Polster, McMara, Buchanan, Gil, Bunbury
    • ST- Bou
  • NYRB (MGR Gerhard Struber)
    • Colonel
    • Duncan, Reyes, Nealis, Tolkin
    • Davis, Amaya, Clark, Yearwood
    • STs- Fabio | Klimala

The Red Bulls had just won their fourth game of the season, a glorious 3-1 win over Nashville at Red Bull Arena. The Red Bulls offense showed lots of life, notably offseason acquisition, Fabio scored his first goal of the season.

The Revolution have been the hottest team in Major League Soccer, this season. The last time the Red Bulls came to Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, they were beaten easily. Now, they had to try and get three points from Bruce Arenas' team which had won two straight against New York City FC and Cincinnati.

Key Events in First Half

With two rookies playing as defenders for them in this game, the Red Bulls were lacking in experience and that showed in the fifth minute. The Rev's McNamara challenged for the ball with Tom Edwards. McNamara then passed the ball, from his back, over to Carles Gil. The best playmaker in the league calmly passed to New England's Striker Bou, who took the ball too far trying to sneak it past Colonel, but the big Brazilian was not in the mood to give up a goal and blocked Bou's shot.

Dru Yearwood made his first start for Red Bull as a Center Attacking Midfielder (CAM). Frankie Amaya played that position during most of the team's games this season, but Yearwood was given a chance by Head Coach Gerhard Struber to show his qualities as an offensive-minded player. He was given the chance to show what he could do as a center attacking midfielder and he showed his quick offensive thinking against the Revs. Yearwood got a good pass just inside the Rev's box on the left side. He cut the ball back to his right foot and took a curling shot that beat the goalkeeper but struck the crossbar.

The Revs got on the board first in the 26th minute. Revs central midfielder Carles Gil dribbled around Dru Yearwood and ran towards the box. The Spaniard flicked a pass in the air onto Tajon Buchanan who was running into the box. The 21-year-old scored a nifty shot beating an oncoming Carlos Colonel to give the home team a 1-0 lead. The Red Bulls will be kicking themselves for not scoring first in this game, and Yearwood will feel unlucky for hitting the woodwork with a skillful shot.

New England was back on the attack just five minutes later. Their main maestro in the midfield made a sly pass that beat the Red Bulls defense and played in Dejuan Jones. Jones strode in and the player covering him was faked out, as the Revs midfielder cut back quickly and fired a low shot, beating Colonel to his near-post to give Revs the 2-0 lead.

Second Half Highlights

The Revs struck early in the second half when, a weak Red Bulls header off a corner-kick was cleared out of the box, which led to the Revs springing forward on the counter. The ball found its way to Gustavo Bou, who was able to dust the Red Bulls down the middle of the field and was one-on-one with the goalkeeper. He flicked a chip shot with the outside of his foot that looped over an oncoming Colonel and gave the home side a commanding 3-0 lead.

However, New York Red Bull responded in the 52nd minute, midfielder Caden Clark made a hard long pass into the top of the REVs box. The pass was chested down by Fabio, into the path of Patryk Klimala, who scored a low shot with his right foot to cut the deficit to two goals. It was the Polish striker's first goal in four games.

In the 72nd minute, Red Bulls rookie, Wikelman Carmona let loose a left-footed shot from 30 yards out that was going so fast, it left a path of flames in its wake. Matt Turner was able to dive to his left and keep Clark's furious shot out of the goal and preserve his team's two-goal-lead.

In the 75th minute, the Red Bulls scored their second goal of the match. There was a corner kick from the right side of the field, that was taken by 22-year-old Englishman Edwards. He swung the ball in high and it was headed down by Fabio to Reyes, who shot and it was blocked. Klimala then took a stab at it and had his shot blocked, then the ball fell to Red Bull defender, Andres Reyes. The 21-year-old from Colombia in South America, wound up his right leg and pummeled a shot that went through a screen of Red Bulls and Revs before crashing into the net

That was pretty much all she wrote last night in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Manager Struber sent BARLOW onto the field in the last five minutes looking for a spark, but it was too late. The Red Bulls really need to get better on defense, which clearly failed them against a very good Revs side that have the best playmaker in MLS, Carles Gil. Gil provided assists on all three of New England's goals in this one.

Despite, these two teams being in different spots in the standings, the offensive team stats show that it was a very tight game. Red Bulls had just as many shots-on-goal (6) as the Eastern Conference first-place team did and POSSESSION was 50-50. After the game, Red Bulls Captain, Sean Davis, was pulled aside by a reporter and gave this summation of his team's

It was announced on the morning of June the 24th that Caden Clark will remain with the New York Red Bulls until the end of the 2021 MLS Season. However, he has signed with Red Bull Leipzig of the Bundesliga for next season.

The Red Bulls will play Atlanta United on June 27 at 3:30 PM. The last time these two Eastern Conference rivals met, New York triumphed 1-0 thanks to Caden Clark's first professional goal.

Anthony Paradiso
Follow me