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Red Bulls pick up pieces after cup ouster

Solli (Getty Images)

By DAVE MARTINEZ

The New York Red Bulls didn't expect their U.S. Open Cup run to end this way.

After the Red Bulls declared a more serious tone to their Open Cup ambitions, they still managed to get eliminated earlier than their previous effort – despite an automatic bye to the third round. Their 3-1 extra-time ouster against the Harrisburg City Islanders has left the team searching for answers.

"(Harrisburg) played with all their heart and it’s just a loss that’s really hard to swallow," right midfielder Jan Gunnar Solli said. "It shouldn’t happen, but unfortunately it did. Everyone is really disappointed now. A lot of fans came out to support us, and we were hoping the outcome would be different."

A slow start to Tuesday's match forced New York to pick up the pace in the second. Connor Lade managed to put in a goal with a scramble in front of the net to tie the match. 

"We weren't panicking at halftime when we were down a goal, because we knew there was a lot of game left to play and we were confident we could get back into this game,” Lade said.

From there, the Red Bulls pressured but failed to convert before the game went into extra time.

"We didn’t really keep our shape," forward Jhonny Arteaga said. "I had a couple of chances. One, I should have taken a touch and try to finish on one touch. I tried to do it one time. Usually you don’t have enough time. (The team) is just really disappointed, for sure."

Once again, New York came out of the gates tentative in the added time, and Harrisburg made them pay. 

“Overall we’re disappointed with the way we came out in extra time,” Lade noted. “I thought they came out a bit sharper than we did and were fortunate enough to get on the board first. From there, it was an uphill battle where we had to fight and claw to get back into it and unfortunately we weren’t able to do that.”

It didn't help the Red Bulls that an obvious handball in the box by the City Islanders went uncalled, one that would have given New York a penalty kick and a chance to level the score again. When Harrisburg compounded that with an insurance goal, it finished off the Red Bulls' run.

“Once they went up two, it was really difficult to break in and get through balls,” Arteaga said. “We tried to stretch them as much as possible, play wide and get crosses in. It’s just one of those nights we didn’t put the ball in the back of the net.”

The stinging loss sent most of the team running for their chartered bus back to New York. Even the usually accessible Red Bulls coach Hans Backe declined to speak with the media after the match. With 10 days until their next match (a June 17th tilt at Chicago against the Fire), the Red Bulls will be taking some time off to gather themselves before restarting league play.

"This was a high priority for us – that’s why it’s extra disappointing," Solli said. “We wanted to come out here and win the game and then take a well deserved holiday. It is still going to be a holiday but everyone is going to be really disappointed.

"We were hoping to go all the way to the Cup this year, but there is still a lot of things to play for. We aren’t going to dig our own grave."

For Lade, the time off will be spent refocusing on goals for the remainder of the season. 

“We’re focusing on winning that MLS Cup,” he said. “We really wanted to get this one as well, but now that this one is out of the picture we can focus all our efforts and concentrations on that.”

Comments

  1. “Though my Bucks lost to Dayton we still represented thanks to Lucky Mkosana’s insurance goal. Having a hard time understanding why he’s not on an MLS roster somewhere”

    He was, until Chicago cut him.

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  2. The fact this was even a game, and you’re worried about the handball? The City Islanders are a good 3rd division team despite their record, but come on.

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  3. Though my Bucks lost to Dayton we still represented thanks to Lucky Mkosana’s insurance goal. Having a hard time understanding why he’s not on an MLS roster somewhere. He’s definitely too good for Harrisburg.

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  4. It is crazy that the 2nd OT hand ball wasn’t called; the player handling the ball should have gotten a red card. If the PK was converted, it would have been 2-2 with HCL down a man.

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  5. Everybody else on the pitch (including Conde) risked injury. I get your point – Henry’s been injured already, etc. But he had already returned from his injury, and taking a tournament “seriously” means playing your top players — especially when you have a very convenient break from league play.

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  6. I’m much less mad than I was when NY didn’t send coaches and first team players to Open Cup games last year. Of course I’m disappointed, but so were the players; some were crying while talking to the fans after the game. Sh.t happens. They just better keep taking it seriously in the coming years even if they don’t get a break for internationals.

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  7. That officiating crew was terrible from start to finish. First Harrisburg goal was offside and the missed handball was inexplicable. That said, we probly only played well enough to force penalties – that’s not gonna cut it.

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  8. Agudelo is overrated…The NY D is going to be serious with Conde and Pearce in the middle. The Pearce loss will hurt Chivas. He has found a home in the middle.

    The key is getting Rodgers back and that much anticipated string-pulling #10

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  9. Fraser is taking other teams supposed scraps and turning CUSA into an interesting side. The additions of Califf and Agudelo recently have really boosted my interest in the team. I will never get on board with the ridiculous name, but at least they have some appeal now.

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  10. And in terms of picking up pieces that the Red Bulls got rid of, Juan Agudelo and Juan Pablo Angel each scored a goal in a 2-1 win that put Chivas through to the next round.

    Reply

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