RBNY player ratings vs NYC FC - Veron pk saves Red Bulls from series sweep

In a game where the Red Bulls seldom looked like the weaker team, they were forced to settle for a draw with NYC FC. Maxi Moralez scored from open play in the second half, but the Red Bulls responded with an equalizer thanks to a pk call that was taken by Gonzalo Veron.

The draw capped off a fun night for fans trolling the visiting NYC FC with homages to the East Hartford Whalers.

Here are the RBNY player ratings vs NYC FC:

Luis Robles - 7

Aaron Long - 8

Long was on David Villa like a shadow in the game and took the NYC scoring machine completely out of the game.

Michael Murillo - 8 (Man of the Match)

The only one on NYC FC’s side that were able to keep Murillo from imposing his will on this game was the crossbar.

Fidel Escobar - 8

Could the Red Bulls have won the away match vs NYC FC if Escobar had started over Damien Perrinelle?

Kemar Lawrence - 7

Tyler Adams - 8

Adams had Jack Harrison on lockdown.

Felipe - 7

Sean Davis - 5

Sacha Kljestan - 8

Alex Muyl - 4

What will it take for Jesse Marsch to start Veron over Muyl?

Bradley Wright-Phillips - 7

If the roles were reversed, David Villa definitely would have been given a penalty on that controversial play.

Subs:

Gonzalo Veron - 8

As has become so common, Veron changed the game after coming on as a sub. Sure he’s done enough to earn a spot as a starter, but it’s good to know the team has such a reliable super-sub.

Derrick Etienne Jr - 4

Dilly Duka - n/a

It probably would have been more prudent to take out one of the defenders to put in Duka in those final minutes. He should not have replaced BWP of all people with several minutes to play.

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The good news is that the Red Bulls likely won’t have any home opponents nearly as challenging as this one the rest of the season - save for Atlanta perhaps. The bad news is that this might have been the most winnable game of the next few the Red Bulls play. The September schedule includes road games against FC Dallas, Chicago, Columbus and Toronto, plus home games against Philadelphia and DC United - all of which sandwich the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final against Sporting Kansas City on September 20th.

One can expect that Jesse Marsch will try to rest players again leading up to the game against SKC, which could put a serious strain on the team’s playoff chances.