Red Bulls Head Coach Jesse Marsch conferring with Kaku during a recent game. Photo by Jason Schott. |
The Red Bulls went on the road and came out with a 2-1 win over the Colorado Rapids on Saturday night at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado.
The Red Bulls have now hit their stride, winners of three straight games and they have improved their record to 6-3-0, with 18 points, in fifth place in the Eastern Conference.
The victory was the Red Bulls' first in Colorado since 2007, snapping a 0-5-1 streak in Commerce City.
Just as they did against NYCFC last weekend in their 4-0 win in the Hudson River Derby, the Red Bulls got on the board early.
In the fifth minute, Michael Amir Murillo took a throw in, got it to Bradley Wright-Phillips, who came down the right side and sent a cross into the box, and found Danny Royer, who drilled it to give the Red Bulls a 1-0 edge.
The goal was Royer's second of the year in MLS, while Wright-Phillips earned his fifth assist of the season. BWP has played provider well this season and is just two assists shy of his career-best mark, set in 2015.
Royer's goal marked the sixth time the Red Bulls have scored inside the first 10 minutes of a match this season, and the eighth time with a goal inside the first 20.
It stayed that way well in the second half. In the 76th minute, Derrick Etienne Jr. got on the end of a low Alex Muyl cross to earn his third goal of the season and make it 2-0 Red Bulls.
After being held scoreless through his first 22 MLS regular-season matches, Etienne Jr. has tallied a goal in three of the last six games.
Red Bulls Designated Player Kaku earned the secondary assist on Etienne's goal, giving him at least a point in three-straight matches and in six of his first eight MLS games.
Kaku leads MLS with seven assists and also has three goals.
Colorado made a late push, as Jack McBean scored an unassisted goal in the 85th minute to make it 2-1. It was McBean's first goal of the season.
The Red Bulls withstood Colorado's pressure through eight minutes of stoppage time to hold on for the win.
Something very unique happened in this one, as both goalkeepers - Luis Robles of the Red Bulls and Colorado's Tim Howard - were captains for their respective sides.
The Red Bulls had 13 shots, three of which were on goal, while Colorado had 15 shots, seven on target.
Red Bulls Head coach Jesse Marsch improved to 54-34-23 at the helm in New York. Marsch also raised his away record with the Red Bulls to 16-26-13.
Colorado was forced to make a change before the opening whistle, with Dominique Badji being replaced by Yannick Boli after warmups.
The Red Bulls wrap up a two-match road swing next weekend with a Sunday showdown in Atlanta on FS1. Kickoff against Atlanta United FC on Sunday, April 20 is set for 7 p.m. ET. New York then returns home to host the Philadelphia Union on May 26 for Military Appreciation Night.
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