RECAP: Karma & Chaos: Red Bulls Fall to FC Cincinnati
Snatching defeat from the hands of victory. The New York Red Bulls had points against league-leading FC Cincinnati handed to them on a silver platter.
A questionable first-half penalty kick put RBNY ahead in Harrison. But two second-half goals showed luck, and karma, swing both ways. Cincy got away with the 2-1 win after a stoppage-time goal from Obinna Nwobodo.
Red Bulls’ head coach Troy Lesesne continues to do something his predecessor hadn’t in these situations; take responsibility.
He admitted the team’s performance in the second half was poor, similar to what happened against New England.
But he made sure it was known some of that is on him too.
“Today wasn’t good enough in the second half,” Lesesne said. “I thought we started it well again, but maybe a little bit of it is fatigue potentially. We’re thin right now. I think we all understand that. But credit to Cincinnati as well
“We don’t adjust as well as they adjust. I just told the team I take the first layer of responsibility and accountability for that, not to absolve them from any of their responsibility, but I look at myself first. So we need to correct that going into Salt Lake.”
While the second-half collapse is going to be, rightfully, the biggest takeaway, it isn’t all that happened. Hassan Ndam played in place of the suspended Andrés Reyes on Wednesday night. It was only his ninth appearance of the season in MLS. Early on in the game, the Columbian was also shown a yellow card meaning he’d face an additional challenge.
However, he ran with it. Luciano Acosta was limited to one or two direct looks against Carlos Coronel in the net. Much of that is due to Ndam suffocating him in the middle. Either during a run or blocking him out from passes on the side.
However, I’d expect nothing less from a player drafted by Cincy and played for Miami FC (my favorite USL club, a bias shoutout is needed).
“Of course (the game) changed (with the yellow), but I was very confident with myself that, you know, the yellow card won’t stop me because I’m not that such a nasty player like that,” Ndam said afterward.
“So I felt like I could finish the game in a proper way, and I did pretty well.
Also notable was the Major League Soccer debut of Matthew Nocita. The defender entered the game in the second half, making multiple key tackles against Cincy. He also had a great header off a corner kick late in the match. His offensive ability wasn’t great, and his defense is still green. But the 6 ‘5 former Navy cadet was impressed.
Plus, as a bonus, his MLS debut came against the same team he got his actual debut against.
Nocita played against Cincinnati in New York’s Open Cup loss earlier this year.
The game was going well for New York early on too. Cincinnati’s first official shot did not come until the second half. Meanwhile, New York was the benefactor of a strange penalty kick call midway through the first half. While defending against an attack, the ball hit off FCC defender Nick Hagglund while in the box. It was enough for the referee to call a handball but not close enough for VAR to check it. Omir Fernandez sunk the shot low and to the left in the 28th minute.
But while that call was contentious, what followed was not. After the break, Cincy re-organized and began to pressure. While Coronel wasn’t being challenged with shots, the defense was tested. Kyle Duncan gave in late and, after a VAR check confirmed it, was called for a sliding foul in the box to set up a FCC Penalty Kick. Acosta shot low and to the left to tie the game at one. The pressure continued with Cincinnati getting multiple set pieces.
Acosta would set the seeds for the winner in stoppage time. Popping a cross into the box in the dying minutes of extra time, Nocita tried to clear it with his head but ultimately deflect the ball to Nwobodo. He shot the ball into the ground, creating a bouncing ball that Coronel could not handle. It is the first time Cincy has ever come back to win a game after trailing past the 75th minute.
The Red Bulls travel to Utah on Saturday to play Real Salt Lake in their last league match for a while. New York has never won a game at America First Field (formerly Rio Tinto Stadium).
After this, the team will begin play in the 2023 League Cup tournament. A home match against the New England Revolution awaits next Saturday.
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