Defense and Kandji's Timely Goal Have RBNY Off to a Dream Start
by Chris Celletti on Apr 4, 2010 2:01 AM EDT
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This recap was written by Rob Celletti, sitting in for Chris who was unavailable for tonight's game.
After last season's unmitigated disaster, most people around the New York Red Bulls felt that 2010 would bring some better days, but expectations were tempered, and with good reason. Tonight, however, may be the proof that this new, confident, organized version of the Red Bulls is for real.
New York earned a deserved, albeit nail-biting 1-0 victory over Seattle Sounders FC for their first road win in Major League Soccer regular season play since May of 2008.
Macoumba Kandji scored in the 22nd minute, and the Red Bulls played what is quickly becoming their trademark brand of soccer to see out the victory, withstanding waves of Seattle pressure. They possessed the ball well and passed it with confidence. When they didn't have the ball, they kept their shape, stayed compact and made it difficult for Seattle to develop chances through the middle. When called upon, Bouna Coundoul made some wonderfully athletic saves to keep his second straight clean sheet.
Head coach Hans Backe was a surprise omission from the game for New York, as he encountered a stomach ailment overnight and was ordered by doctors to remain at the team hotel as a precaution. Richie Williams stepped in and the Red Bulls did not appear to skip a beat.
The first 15 minutes of the match saw chances for both teams with Seattle's Brad Evans having the first crack at goal, forcing Coundoul to make a tough save diving low to his left. The end-to-end action was delightful to watch as both teams looked dangerous. Juan Pablo Angel forced Keller's hand with a direct strike on goal off of a free kick.
In the 22nd minute Mac Kandji gave the Red Bulls the lead they would not relinquish. Joel Lindpere sent a corner kick towards the back post, where it came off of Roy Miller battling a Sounders defender. Kandji, about 8 yards away, attacked the loose ball with a left-footed strike that went in off of the underside of the crossbar.
The rest of the first half was relatively even, although New York had to withstand a couple of flurries of Seattle pressure.
Seattle carried most of the action in the second half but fell victim to some poor finishing, although Coundoul did make a tremendous save on Steve Zakuani in the 69th minute. Still, both Tyrone Marshall and Freddie Ljungberg let free headers go wide and the Red Bulls back four was generally able to deal with most of what Seattle threw at them. New York also had one or two golden opportunities on counterattacks and were lucky that their poor finishing (particularly Dane Richards' missed chance in the 80th minute off of a brilliant Danleigh Borman feed) didn't come back to haunt them
The Once A Metro Man of the Match honors go to Mac Kandji. Sure, it's unimaginative to give it to the game-winning goalscorer, but Kandji looked as confident as he ever has partnering Juan Pablo Angel in the attack. He seems to finally have a grasp on the position and his spacing and touch were terrific all night. His goal was extremely well-taken.
The Red Bulls take their perfect record and 180-minute shutout streak to Los Angeles for a date with struggling Chivas USA next week. Chris will be back to offer some more thoughts and analysis on this week's victory over Seattle as well as to preview next Saturday's tilt with the Goats.
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I Admit
that the Sounders absolutely were the better team tonight. They came out of the gate and dominated the first 15 minutes of the match. The Red Bulls were able to get a quick punch to the gut via the Kandji goal and simply dug in on defense for the rest of the game. The Sounders honestly should have scored at least twice in the second half, but lady luck was absent from Seattle tonight (at least for them).
I wish we could have seen the offensive side of the Red Bulls, but at least we know the defense has improved tremendously during the off season. Lindpere had some good chances in the first half and Chinn was left alone to head the ball straight to Keller with under a minute to go.
I’m a little worried about the defensive flanks; Zakuani and Nyassi were outrunning and out playing both Miller and Hall to send in dangerous crosses.
But all in all, who can complain about two wins to begin the season?
Co-Captain of Green Street Elite
I'd disagree
The game looked fairly even before the goal, and afterward it reminded me alot of an Arsenal-Chelsea game. Seattle had the majority of the possesion, but they really didn’t do too much with it. Bouna was only credited with two saves in the second half for all the pressure Seattle had. Thats a pretty solid formula for getting points on the road.
I’d also disagree with your assesment of Miller. I realy thought he was the best player on the pitch tonight. The majority of those troubling attacks came from the left side…when the ball got crossed in from the right it was generally a corner or free kick.
Who cares how bad the Bay deal will look in 2013, the world is going to end in 2012 anyway
by Stephen Schmidt on Apr 4, 2010 11:15 AM EDT up reply actions
From a neutral view
Seattle put pressure on on the Red Bulls the entire second half. The Red Bulls just had all of their eleven men back to try and disrupt the flow. Seattle did have the majority of the possession, and made some very dangerous plays, they just lacked the finishing touch. And although Coundoul was only credited with two saves, he still had to punch away countless crosses from the run of play and Sounders corners. Man of the math, imo.
Maybe I’m being a little harsh because, as a player, I find it very frustrating to play against teams who fall back and just clog up the field defensively (a strategy that, alas, works most of the time).
Co-Captain of Green Street Elite
by deepsouthsoccer on Apr 4, 2010 4:17 PM EDT up reply actions
Interesting
I thought New York came out well for the first 10 minutes by possessing the ball in the midfield and they looked dangerous, Seattle adjusted but Kandji got the goal and from then on it looked like Seattle became desperate and they pushed hard but often found themselves unorganized on the attack.
Seattle was the better team for 65-70 minutes of the match but the Red Bulls got the goal and then were able to somehow protect their lead in the second half when it was clear Seattle looking for chances on goal. Bouna did his job again.
With your next 5 matches being teams that are struggling, the Red Bulls could equal or pass their 2009 win total (5) before the middle of May.
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