Week 8, Part 2: Wrapping Up Red Bulls-Revs

April 20, 2013: Red Bulls 4, Revolution 1

A crazy nine minutes saw the Red Bulls jump out to an early lead, fall behind, then retake the lead. The last 10 saw the Red Bulls solidify the win.

It was a game that the Red Bulls had to win. They had just come off a tough loss to Sporting Kansas City and were playing the offensively impotent New England Revolution, who would double their season's goal count early with an equalizing own goal from Brandon Barklage.

Aside from that, it was all Red Bulls.

Positives

• This is the kind of game the Red Bulls can play. Yeah, the Revolution aren't the best team in the world, but MLS isn't Europe, where the bigger clubs can mail it in against a newly promoted team.
• Fabian Espindola had his best game since the season opener against Portland.
• It's nice to see Jonny Steele have as good a game as he did, especially in light of his father's stroke two-ish weeks ago.
• Luis Robles continues to look good, after a string of subpar performances.

Negatives

• There were a couple of clear opportunities Tim Cahill and Espindola missed. So it could've been 6-1, I guess?
• It seems every game they win, or at least play well in, the follow it up with an iffy performance. Let's hope that's not the case going into the weekend against Toronto FC.

Notable Quotes

Head Coach Mike Petke, via the New York Post...

"It didn't look like we were secure at one point. It looked like if a goal was going to come in the second half it was going to be their goal,'' said Henry. "I was like we have to score the third goal. I wasn't sure how it was going to come, but we had to score it and we did.

"That's what the whole team wanted. That's what we said to each other at halftime, carry on plating and try to score the third one because we all know at the moment we can't keep a lead, so we had to extend it."

Steele, via NewYorkRedBulls.com...

"Every game I'm going out there to do it for my dad ... I just have to prove and do things for him. He just had a stroke, so I'm just rewarding him for what he has done for me in my career."

Relevant Stats

Source