Top Stories

Spurs beat Red Bulls in Cahill’s debut

Tottenham Beat New York (Getty Images)

BY DAVE MARTINEZ

Tim Cahill managed to make an impression in his debut with the New York Red Bulls, but that did little to save them from dropping this encounter. 

Tottenham had the better of possession and play throughout the night and took home a deserving 2-1 victory over the home side.

"We started very well, and the first 15, 20 minutes we got the PK.  Then they put us under pressure," Coach Hans Backe noted.  "We said before the game, just focus on sharp defending because we concede too many goals."

New York opened the scoring in the eighth minute and it was Cahill that played a key role in securing the goal.  Playing a dummy pass in the midfield to Dax McCarty and sprinting towards a lane on net, the Red Bulls latest DP received a pass from McCarty in the box and was fouled for his efforts.  Kenny Cooper would line up the penalty kick and put New York ahead 1-0.

From there, the Red Bulls sat back as Tottenham controlled the better of possession and play.  Though they took the lead into the second half, they would soon fold under the pressure of the Spurs attack.  Gareth Bale, who would later be named man of the match, got the best of an overmatched McCarty in the box, sending a header on net past Bill Gaudette for the tying notch.

Minutes later, an absolutely brilliant run by midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson put the team ahead for good.  Running down the left side of the pitch, Sigurdsson beat Solli, Markus Holgersson and Connor Lade before pulling up and sending a pinpoint curler past Gaudette for the second and decisive goal.

Not all was lost for New York.  Cahill played a commanding role in the midfield, organizing the attack for stretches of play and giving the Red Bulls a glimpse of what is to come.  Meanwhile, Teemu Tainio managed to have a strong debut game, playing his usual hard-nose role at defensive midfield.  Backe even found a silver lining on the defensive end as well.  "Even if we were under pressure, I don’t think they picked up one 100%scoring chance," he said.  "They had a free kick from Bale but otherwise thedefending shape was great and that is something we can definitely buildon.

What did you think of the match?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Id rather watch the likes of Bale and Messi grow and develop then watch Cahill’s retirement years. He only came over here because his family was here.

    I grew up playing the sport and watched the league start. I gave Metro a chance years ago, I even came back again and couldn’t take it. Then when Metro were changed to the Red Donkeys I knew I was out. It’s not progression when it always just sucks.

    Also the Red Bulls play in Jersey so all you that say you should support your local team, NY doesn’t have one. You should be supporting the Brooklyn Knights then, they are at least a NY team as well as the other handful in there league.

    http://www.bigapplesoccer.com/teams/knights.php

    Reply
  2. How could you support a club from across the pond? Go on youtube learn the songs? Turn on the tube in the morning and sing them for the team? A real supporter is able to follow his club from city to city, pitch to pitch. You aren’t a real soccer fan when you are in your jammies watching EPL or going to the bar singing songs that you’ve heard on youtube for players you haven’t seen play in the flesh. It was funny, alot of the Tottenham ‘support’ in RBA were even singing the songs feigning english accents, it was laughable.

    Reply
  3. Friendly or no friendly this is the only yardstick we have against playing with the greats from the world’s clubs. I also see something consistently familiar. We definitely are a tier below most of them, both in soccer quickness and skills and also in a certain IQ.

    Redbulls are supposed to be at the top of the Eastern Table, in the middle of the season, whereas those guys are still on vacation and in pre-season.

    Only Gaudette saved us a huge embarrassment yesterday!

    Yes, I root for my home team but something is very wanting in them and in the other MLS teams. Each time, they show me they can play great, they also show me that they can collapse like a pack of cards without any explanation – particularly the defense.

    There is a lack of confidence – we don’t know how to take the game to an opponent.

    Reply
  4. I think the whole rooting against the local team is more surprising in European soccer than any American sports to be honest. Those clubs are set up by the community their in, for the community their in. With American sports, a team’s location is based on whether or not its a good market and all that other junk, which is why a state like Alabama can’t get even one professional team. American clubs can relocate and leave the fans in their market high and dry. For example the Baltimore Colts.

    Reply
  5. It’s about personal enterntainment choices and having a good time. It’s not – at all – about loving your country.

    I wish all the people in MLS markets would support their MLS team. But many won’t, for any number of possible reasons. Existing MLS fans need to stop judging them in such an arrogant and moralistic way. This approach will just ensure they never take an iterest in MLS.

    Reply
  6. The friendlies seem to be a necessary evil for the time being in the US to help try to grow the sport & generate revenue. Hopefully in 5 years the MLS will decide that they dont have to schedule them anymore.
    Patience………

    Reply
  7. +1. These silly friendlies in the middle of the season just puzzle me. They sell plenty of tickets, I guess, but intentionally congesting your schedule just before important in-season matches — and they’re all important, but especially matches against a conference rival that’s chasing you — makes no sense. Except for giving some nice minutes to Cahill and Tainio, the game is good news only inasmuch as nobody was injured.

    Reply
  8. Your sentiments are so true and Americans need to start loving their country. The MLS is an American product that we should all love.

    Reply
  9. You have a right to support whomever you choose. But, I find it quite shocking for people from a particular area to put on a jersey and root against the local team at the local team’s stadium. Where is any sense of loyalty? Supporting the local team helps grow the game in America, supports the local economy, and helps maintain local character and prosperity. In NY, year after year, it is particularly infuriating hordes of soccer lovers rooting against a small, growing league trying to build itself up and compete in the global market. Sure, MLS is not the level of the EPL. But, rooting against it doesn’t help it achieve a higher standard. If Red Bull Arena was full each home game, it could only generate buzz, excitement, greater interest from better players, more media attention, more money into local businesses, more local jobs, and create sustainability. But, no, I’ll throw on a super club’s jersey and hope they demolish a developing, growing underdog. The girl next door doesn’t need you, MLS does.

    Reply
  10. Man what’s this big deal about supporting the local club? Just because a club is there doesn’t mean you have to support them. Sometimes the club just doesn’t appeal to you, although I’m not in favor of jumping on the bandwagon everytime a new team wins the championship. That being said, I do in fact support my local club DC United, but I’m a far bigger Chelsea fan, and before you go about calling me a bandwagon without even knowing me, Chelsea just happened to be the first Euro team I’ve ever seen play which was in a match against DC United in 2005.

    Saying you HAVE to support the club in your town is like saying you have to like the girl next door. You didn’t choose for her to live there, and you may not be attracted to her so why would you ask her out?

    Reply
  11. So sick of meaningless friendlies. Give me a competitive match with real meaning any day. And so sick of NY’ers with zero connection to England rooting for foreign teams. Support your local club, people. And whoop-dee-doo, a team with a billion times RBNY’s payroll scored twice on our reserve team. So happy no Red Bulls injured. Please stop this crap.

    Reply

Leave a Comment