Alex Muyl nodded home a corner kick just seconds into the second half, Bradley Wright-Phillips added a goal on a devastating nutmeg of Bill Hamid, and the New York Red Bulls got their Atlantic Cup bid off to a good start with a 2-0 victory over D.C. United on Saturday night.
Sacha Kljestan provided the service on the first and Felipe registered an assist on the second as New York issued one of its best offensive performances of the season while running its home unbeaten run to 17 games.
D.C.'s night went from bad to worse when US international Steve Birnbaum left the match on a stretcher in second-half stoppage time, suffering an apparent head injury in a collision on D.C.'s attacking end.
On a night when D.C. had few chances, it was actually Birnbaum who had a couple of the their best, playing in an advanced position after United went two goals down.
Goals
Three Things
- SIGNS OF LIFE: New York scored multiple goals, without the help of an own goal, for the first time this season, after scoring just once in their previous three matches. Wright-Phillips now has three goals in his last five matches as the two-time MLS Golden Boot winner attempts to live up to his own lofty standards.
- HOW WE DREW IT UP: Muyl’s goal came only seconds into the second half after the Red Bulls had several promising corner kicks and set pieces in the opening 45 minutes. Muyl wasted one such chance when he sent an open header wide of the frame in the 24th minute off Kljestan's corner. A minute later, Daniel Royer sent his header on target from another of Kljestan's services, but lacked the power to beat Hamid.
- A NIGHT TO FORGET: Hamid has single-handedly saved matches for D.C. throughout his eight-year MLS career, but Saturday’s loss will be one to put out of sight, out of mind. Muyl placed his header well on his opening goal, but Hamid still might’ve done better after getting his palms to it. Then came Wright-Phillips’ wicked shot through the legs, a blush-inducing moment Hamid is likely to hear about in Harrison for years.
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