3 Thoughts: 10 men Red Bulls stop the Revolution

Ref lost the plot

Referee Allen Chapman did not even come close to having a good game. Here's a list of questionable events:

• Charlie Davies is yellow carded for simulation in the 2nd minute. He was clipped by Ibrahim Sekagya in the box. I personally don't think it was a PK, but a yellow seemed harsh as well.
• Late in the first half, Kelyn Rowe pushes Sekagya to win a ball, then is on the receiving end of a NHL worthy shoulder check. Neither incident is called as a foul.
• In the 45th minute, Matt Miazga is given a red card on what looked like a harsh tackle on Lee Nguyen that left both guys on the ground for a few minutes. Replays showed Miazga trying to pull up and not actually tackle Nguyen, who had jumped to avoid a tackle. Opinion is split on if the red was warranted. The sequence however left the Red Bulls to play the second half with 10 men (more on this later).
• Early in the second half, Ambroise Oyongo is the recipient of what appears to be a Teal Bunbury elbow away from the ball. Nothing is called.
• Scott Caldwell and Eric Alexander both go sliding into a 50/50 challenge. Alexander gets there first while Caldwell goes in studs up and catches Alexander in the groin. Caldwell is only shown a yellow.

Nothing more needs to be said.

Down to 10 men

The New York Red Bulls played the second half against the New England Revolution with 10 men, and they looked like the better team. Tim Cahill was subbed off at half time for Alexander due to tightness in the groin. The Red Bulls looked like a team with 11 players on the field given how they were flying around. Dax McCarty chipped Bobby Shuttleworth in the 47th minute to draw the Red Bulls even. Bradley Wright-Phillips put in his 18th goal of the year with a beautiful curling shot that hit the post. Thierry Henry almost got on a rebound and Peguy Luyindula hit a post himself. The defense held with 3 men until Kosuke Kimura was brought on in the 87th minute to help secure the win.

First win after giving up 1st goal

In 2014, the Red Bulls had never won a game in which they gave up the first goal. That streak is officially over, and with that, they also have now won both meetings with the Revolution by a combined 4-1. The Red Bulls are still out of the playoffs with 25 points, but this win coupled with a 1-1 draw at Real Salt Lake and 1-0 win over Arsenal in a friendly may be what this team needs as a spring board for the rest of the year.