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Red Bulls rout Revs in Open Cup play-in match

RedBullsCelebrate (HowardCSmithISI)

Photo by Howard C. Smith/ISIphotos.com

 

BY MIKE NASTRI

For the second straight U.S. Open Cup play-in match, the New York Red Bulls fielded a reserve team, and for the second straight match their reserves outplayed an MLS opponent playing multiple starters.

John Wolyniec scored two goals while Sinisa Ubiparipovic added a long-range blast to give the Red Bulls a 3-0 victory against the New England Revolution on Wednesday night at Red Bull Arena.

The win moves New York a step closer to the U.S. Open Cup. The Red Bulls next face the Colorado Rapids in another Open Cup play-in match on May 26th at Red Bull Arena, with a place in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 on the line.

New England only traveled 14 players, but still boasted a lineup with seven or eight regulars. That didn't stop a Red Bulls squad made up mostly of reserves from outplaying the Revs. They held possession for a large majority of the match and limited a Revs attack led by rookie sensation Zack Schilawski.

Brian Nielsen was a big part of the success for the Red Bulls in the first half as the Dane controlled the  attack from the left wing.

"I think Brian is showing his pace, his technique is good, he has a very good strike, and I think he will just improve game-by-game, that's for sure," said head coach Hans Backe. "In a way, the two midfield players [Nielsen and Ubiparipovic] controlled the game."

Nielsen would get on the score sheet later with an assist, but it was his penetrating ball to Connor Chinn that gave New York the lead. Chinn found himself on a breakaway but wasn't able to put the ball past a sprawling Bob Shuttleworth. John Wolyniec collected the rebound and eventually scored on his second shot after the first was blocked by a Revs defender. 

The Red Bulls would have another golden opportunity after an overlapping run by Chris Albright in the 43rd minute. Albright played a low ball across the goal mouth only to see Chinn miss a wide open goal.

Although the Red Bulls dominated the first half and had a 1-0 nothing walking into the halftime, the team only looked dangerous a few times. NYRB constantly played the ball backwards rather than playing an attacking ball forward. 

"It's too many side passes and too many support passes you to turn with the ball back and we have to attack much, much more when we have the possibilities, otherwise we just slowed the game down," said Backe.

That changed in the second half as New York peppered the Revolution goal with 10 second half shots.

"In the second half we really took advantage of being in attacking positions and took advantage when we were in those positions, said World Cup bound defender Andrew Boyens.

The Red Bulls looked dangerous from the second half kick and the inevitable 2-0 lead came in the 62nd minute off a set piece. Nielsen laid the ball off to Sinisa Ubiparipovic who hit a low bullet into the left corner of the net for the 2-0 lead.

It didn't take long for NYRB to strike again as Wolyniec roofed a deflection on an Ubiparipovic shot to make it 3-0 Red Bulls in the 64th minute.

It was an important game for Wolyniec, who has struggled to find time in a crowded attacking corps for the NYRB. Wolyniec showed his nose for goal with his 33rd and 34th goal in a Red Bulls uniform. 

"I'm glad I got a chance to run around and make some plays, said the Fordham grad. "It definitely wasn't my best performance, but I'll take it. I still have some fitness to work on, but overall, definitely a good step in the right direction."

The Red Bulls goals were not spectacular but still were products of hard work by the NYRB second squad. However, Revolution coach Steve Nicol wasn't too impressed with first two goals by Wolyniec and Ubiparipovic.

"I'm disappointed in the first two goals, the first one was clearly offside, and the second one the guy was standing in an offside position besides the goalkeeper," Steve Nicol said. "Those two goals for me shouldn't have been goals."

Nicol can complain about the goals, but the Revs were outplayed. The team looked tired in the second half with limited subs, and the Red Bulls took advantage.

The match provided another example of just how deep the Red Bulls team is. They have two full teams that can compete on a day to day basis against MLS teams with a majority of MLS regulars. This will certainly help a Red Bulls team currently in the middle of playing 12 games in 42 days.

"I think we have a great squad this year because we're deep, and we can have guys come in and out," said defender Carlos Mendes. "It's a big part of the MLS season, there's a lot of games and it's a long season. We're going to need everybody and right now, it looks great. It's exciting that we don't lose a beat."

Comments

  1. Great comment Josh D. I can only hope that you’re right. Been waiting for this ‘era’ for a long time. Obviously we’re not there yet, but hopefully not far off.

    Reply
  2. Ives, no NCC love?

    Unlike the USOC, people actually show up to our Cup competition, even when the local hockey team is in full giant-killing form!

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  3. To quote Steve Nichols:

    “”I’m disappointed in the first two goals, the first one was clearly offside, and the second one the guy was standing in an offside position besides the goalkeeper,” Steve Nicol said. “Those two goals for me shouldn’t have been goals.”

    Well, what about the 3rd one?

    Reply
  4. Good vibes last night. ~2000 fans at a soccer game sounds depressing, not so at all when there in person. Better with lots more, sure, but fun just the same. Also great fun giving Khano Smith Sxxt every time he touched the ball. Heck i didnt even realize who he was at first, but was giving him a hard time anyways.

    Also, Nielsen looks good. Agree with others that he needs to gel more with the rest of the team. I didnt see or feel that, even though he played well.

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  5. I would like to see Sinisa in the Gold Cup and in WCQ if he is a citizen. He can put in an impressive display in MLS, I wonder how he can do with the Nats against CONCACAF opposition. Probably no worse than Sasha, Dax, or Cameron.

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  6. and appreciate the amazing stadium- Im a Union fan and am pumped for PPL park but I can’t imagine it even being close to what Red Bull Arena is. That place is soccer heaven, I can’t wait for the Red Bulls to develop all the land around it, make tons of youth fields for great Northeast tourneys and make that a great place.

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  7. The Revs are in absolute disarray. I had this same argument about the article of the cup game between the Union and Red Bulls. The Red Bulls have 4-6 guys on their reserve sqaud who started last year, they really have inserted 2 or 3 youth players unlike the Union who had 4 starters playing new positions and 7 guys playing for the first time, three of which was first time in the league. The revs had 2 field subs, can you imagine any other sport only having two subs, the revs need some help and MLS might need to consider bending the rules for a squad that is trying its best to cope without its three highest paid players- the Revs have 1 mill of salary cap on the injured list with no idea when they will return.

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  8. What do you expect, he can’t blast his team for poor play. The only way the revs could win this game was to escape without injury.

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  9. Seeing the reserves play this well gives me great optimism for this season. If we add Henry and/or Ze Roberto to the mix, the possibilities are endless. Mad props to Red Bull (the organization) for really making this club a priority and their whole-hearted effort in changing the culture. I brought 2 buddies to the game last night and they sat with me in 101. Today they went and bought season tickets for the remainder of the year. People just need to get to RBA to really appreciate this team.

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  10. Bad quote from Nicol. The second goal was from
    a free kick that Nielsen touched to Sinisa, who buried a hard shot. Nicol is
    thinking of the 3rd goal. Coach can’t even get the goals straight right after the game…

    Great game by the Red Bulls.

    Reply
  11. Agreed.

    I’d like to see a decently written article about the teams who are having serious on-field and off-the-field issues like the Revs and how this is impacting MLS currently and in the future.

    Anyone want to give it a go?

    Reply
  12. Yup. And it was said here that foreign managers can’t compete in MLS and Backe was a hack (fellow DC fan, for the first time envious of NY… Life sucks!)

    Reply
  13. Think he’s certainly one to keep an eye out for the future. Let him wet his toes this season and next we’ll start seeing more of him. Looks confident which is the biggest thing for a first timer.

    Love how our youth strikers are starting to come up with as much skill as our young defenders and midfielders. I’ve gotten the sense, over the past 10 years, our national teams have been far too lopsided, favoring goalies, defenders, and midfielders due to our system some how not producing quality strikers.

    Not it seems not only we are starting to develop striking talent but players with enough ball skills to keep possession.

    Whew, finally!

    Reply
  14. The ‘mostly starters’ comment is just bizarre. Although, if you’re really trying to build up your team’s performance, you should have gone with “RBNY fielded a team of youth players, which defeated a Revs team made up mostly of international players bound for the World Cup next month.” If nobody checks the facts, that sounds awesome.

    Maybe it’s just me, and yes I know he had a hat trick, but I still see Schilawski as a reserve who’s starting because 2 veterans have been injured all season. While I’m beginning to doubt if Twellman will ever return, had Jankauskas been healthy, I don’t think the rookie would have been starting. Though with Dube’s form, who knows.

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  15. I can’t stand the Red Bulls (DC supporter) but you gotta give them a lot of credit. There is every indication that they have turned things around.

    It was only two years ago that I saw Red Bull reserves get outplayed by (the then) Crystal Palace Baltimore, a third division side in USOC play.

    Osorio and Agoos need to take a long hard look in the mirror. There are no excuses left for them.

    It is amazing what the new coach and staff are doing. Richie Williams is about the only constat that I can really think of.

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  16. Squad players are not starters. Our back-line consisted entirely of midfielders with the exception of Seth Sinovic. At game’s end, Khano Smith was our left-back.

    The only starters on that starting XI were Schilawski, Perovic, and Niouky. The rest are battling for spots.

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  17. Brian Nielson, can just imagine what he will do , when he gets to full fitness . MLS rightbacks will have nightmares. NYRB is the deepest squad in the mls easy. the starters are not as good as the reserves at keeping the ball. when the new guys come in the summer NYRB will dominate this league along with the Galaxy.

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  18. It really was a great game tonight. Really happy to see a great performance by RBNY at home even if it was a 2nd string team tonight…but Woly, Chinn, and Nielsen were on top of their game tonight. Also Ives, can you make an apperance at El Pastors or in the ESC at some point this weekend???? I know many people would appreciate a visit especially this reader

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  19. my feed cut out at around the 68th minute, but i was surprised at how ny continued to press, even when they were up by three. it was like they couldn’t get enough. i got the impression that either the players or the front office are taking the tourney fairly serious. probably both. that’s nice to see.

    Reply

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