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Missed penalties result in Red Bulls playoff exit

New York Red Bulls, Featured, Professional, Soccer

November 5, 2023

A back-and-forth game between the New York Red Bulls and FC Cincinnati consisted of missed opportunities, missed calls, and fouls, ending in a 1-1 tie, sending both teams to penalty shootouts. It was in penalties where New York was outscored by Cincinnati, 8-7, ultimately ending the game and the Red Bulls season.

Both teams started firing, but not shots. There were seven combined fouls in the first 15 minutes of the match that eventually added up to 34 fouls, with the Red Bulls responsible for 18 and Cincinnati the other 16. A total of six yellow cards were given out as well, with Cincinnati receiving the majority in four.

The first shot of the match didn’t come until the 21st minute when Elias Manoel shot over the net just outside the box. New York got the first point on the board after Tom Barlow’s shot from the center of the box found the back of the net, making it 1-0 just before halftime in favor of New York. The goal was Barlow’s third goal in the past five games across all competitions.

“I’ve grown a lot…” Barlow said. “It seems like every year, there’s something that happens and it’s all about continuing to get better every single day. Luckily Troy [Lesesne] had a lot of trust in me this year and I got a lot of playing time and I try to make the most of it. It felt like each game I got a little bit better.”

The Red Bulls kept the momentum for most of the second half, keeping possession and firing six more shots. It wasn’t until the 75th minute when Cincinnati’s Aaron Boupendza scored the equalizer. There was no more to show at the end of the regulation, sending the match to a penalty shootout.

New York started the shootout off strong, making their first four shots, while Cincinnati made only three of their first four due to a fantastic save by Carlos Coronel. John Tolkin got ready to take the fifth and potential game-winning shot but hit it square off the post as the shootout continued. The Red Bulls missed two more shots, while Cincinnati only missed one other, declaring them the victors.

Head coach Troy Lesesne spoke on the match’s results.

“There is no quit in this group and that’s something that you have to respect,” Lesesne said. “I don’t think that we maybe get the respect that we deserve all the time. Some of it’s our own doing, we need to fight for more respect. But when it comes to that type of mentality, I told the players that this is something that will stay with them for the rest of their lives and it’s an important learning lesson in their careers. If you default to that type of mentality, you’re going to be alright.”

Coronel had a great night for himself despite the loss. The Red Bulls’ goalkeeper managed four saves during the match and saved an additional two in penalties. Coronel was the backbone of New York against Cincinnati, and all season.

“Carlos is someone that is really really focused,” Lesesne said. “So every day he is coming in and he looks at the details in the game that can help him improve can help our team improve ultimately and he’s really critical with himself, his teammates when he needs to be. He’s a very good leader, I think he’s developed in that aspect as vice-captain in a big big way. [He’s] another guy that’s a pleasure to work with and makes my job easier.”

Cincinnati advanced to the next round of the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs while the Red Bulls played their final game of the season. Looking back over the last few months, there was a scarce chance this team would have even made the playoffs, let alone advance out of the Wild Card Round and compete toe-to- toe with the Supporters Shield winner. While the loss definitely stings, New York can look back on the season proudly with what they were able to accomplish.