Official NY Red Bulls Reporter
By Sylvana Budesheim // @WhiteZinWench
Wednesday, August 21: 1-2 Win
Ah. Rivalry Week. We meet again.
With a Long History
For those of you playing at home, you are probably aware that I am relatively new to RBNY (and MLS) fandom. But one of the first things I learned was that when Red Bull fans hear ‘rival,’ they think of D.C. United… the Pigeons are an afterthought. So even though this was the second match of the night, the Red Bulls at Audi Field was the first real rivalry match of the special presentation.
You’re a Real Tough Cookie
It was pretty much a foregone conclusion that this was going to be chippy. And that doesn’t even factor in Felipe Martins’ return to the East coast. But both teams had to deal with ejections before halftime! Wayne Rooney gave Cristian Casseres, Jr. an elbow to the face, and didn’t even look like he noticed doing it. Then Amro Tarek took down Paul Arriola and got himself a second yellow card.
Did I see the first yellow card? No. It was a blur. But am I okay with the ejection? Also no.
Let’s Get Down To It
The goal that almost wasn’t. Alejandro “Kaku” Romero Gamarra caught onto a ball that Marc Rzatkowski crossed towards Daniel Royer. I know that because when Royer didn’t get the ball, he did his signature ‘facepalm’ thing. But Kaku never gives up– Kaku finds a way!
Sorry… that was too easy.
Fire Away
It wasn’t smooth sailing for New York in the remainder of the match. There was a lot of pressure and missed opportunities. Then Ola Kamara, a newcomer to D.C. United, hit a shot that was nothing short of amazing. The curve on that ball’s path defied physics and completely avoided goalkeeper Luis Robles.
Knock me Down
I’m a teensy bit biased. So when the referee called a penalty for RBNY, I was cool with it. But the first time I saw the replay, I was taken aback. Did Murillo get tripped, or did he just trip on himself? Then I saw it again… he was tripped by the D.C. defender. He just got an extra step before he went down. Royer converted the kick from the spot, and the Red Bulls were on top again.
Defender Aaron Long took a couple of hits to the head, and Robles was definitely dealing with an issue with his left foot by the end of the game. There is a really short turnaround before the next game, so that is unsettling.
See If I Care
There were five minutes of stoppage in the first half. There were EIGHT minutes added on to the second half. Injuries and wild shots just added to the clock. But finally the whistle blew, and the Red Bulls could leave Audi Field with all three points, not a moment too soon.
The latest Hudson River Derby awaits RBNY at Yankee Stadium. NYCFC also had a midweek win, so it will be a battle of momentum. Let’s see how you do it.
Featured image: @BillTNJ
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