Coming off of an offseason filled with so much frustration and anger, the New York Red Bulls have claimed the club’s second Supporters’ Shield in three seasons.
The Red Bulls locked up the league’s best record Sunday, defeating the Chicago Fire, 2-1, at Toyota Park. With the win, the Red Bulls lock up the league’s top overall seed and the right to host MLS Cup should they advance to the league’s final.
Following Sunday’s earlier results, the Red Bulls will visit either Toronto FC, D.C. United or the New England Revolution for the conference semifinals’ opening leg on Nov. 1.
The Red Bulls opened the scoring just eight minutes in via Bradley Wright-Phillips’ 17th goal of the season. The finish came on a set piece, as Sacha Kljestan’s corner in was headed to the backpost by Sal Zizzo. Wright-Phillips was waiting in open space, and the Red Bulls forward tapped in from inside the six to open a 1-0 lead.
A Kljestan penalty kick helped the Red Bulls double that lead in the 35th minute.
Darting towards the end line, Red Bulls winger Mike Grella was bumped down in the box by the Fire’s Patrick Nyarko to draw the referee’s whistle. Kljestan stepped up and tapped his penalty kick to the right side to all but lock up the three points.
Fire forward Gilberto made matters interesting in the 77th minute with a close-range scissor-kick finish to push the scoreline to 2-1.
Just moments before Gilberto’s finish, the Red Bulls had their chance to put the game out of reach on a headed effort from Shaun Wright-Phillips that was parried away by Fire goalkeeper Alec Kahn.
On the other end, Luis Robles was forced into several big saves in the second half. However, the Red Bulls held on in the game’s final moments to lock up the Supporters’ Shield.