Royer’s brace saves a point

The New York Red Bulls were playing a solid match and looked like world beaters when they were attacking the Vancouver Whitecaps all over the pitch at BC Place, but when they were down a goal and down a man it looked like they weren’t going to take any form of points.

But within the final minute of regulation the New York Red Bulls were able to steal a point away from the Vancouver Whitecaps and drew the match a two goals a piece. Daniel Royer got to the net and found a way to get the equalizer.

After a foul was called on Kendall Waston, the Red Bulls were ready to deliver a set piece and it was Tyler Adams that delivered the brilliant cross. As he struck the ball Adams was aiming for the far side of the field and towards the far post.

Daniel Royer snuck along and behind the defender, as soon as he got in front of the far post he struck it off the bottom of the bar and into the back of the net past Stefan Marinovic for the point and a happy flight home and it put the Red Bulls level on points with Atlanta United for the top spot in the East & the Supporters Shield table.

“I think it was really important to bounce back and at least get a point out of this game, I think we’ve been the better team today.” said Royer, “I think we controlled most parts of the game but haven’t been the best at set pieces on the day. I think more was possible but it was still great to bounce back late in the game”

Royer opened the scoring in the 5th minute as Adams found a way to spring the attack. He sent Bradley Wright-Phillips down the near side and then saw Royer in a great position to get the scoring chance.

BWP crossed the ball towards the middle of the area and not a single Whitecaps player was able to get a foot on the ball and that’s when Royer struck for his first of the season that went inside the far post.

But Kendall Waston came to the plate and made sure he was going to be the one to give hope to the home town supporters as twice he scored from the corners. The first equalizer came late in the first half as Jordy Reyna along the near side bent a great ball and Waston got between Tim Parker and Luis Robles to get on the scoreboard.

Then the second header came in the 60th minute as former Red Bulls midfield pest Felipe delivered a fantastic ball that Waston stepped away from the scrum near the goal line and he powered it in again past Robles off his head.

Between Waston’s second goal and Royer’s late equalizer the Red Bulls looked like they were in trouble and looked desperate. They lost Michael Murillo to a double yellow and into a red card after reckless challenges against Alphonso Davies.

In the 69th minute Murillo tried to grab Davies, but decided to tackle him down after Davies sent the ball up the field for his first yellow card, but the second yellow card looked suspicious as the challenge was shoulder to shoulder in the 84th minute.

Alphonso Davies looked to have embellish the challenge as he flung himself off of Murillo, but at the same time Murillo shouldn’t have been in that position to begin with trying to back track on Davies for the ball.

Yet after all that happened in this match the Red Bulls were the better side. They combined well, made some solid passes to each other and if it wasn't for the goal keeping of Stefan Marinovic, this could’ve been a blow out.

Even three minutes after the restart the Red Bulls had a big opportunity to get the go-ahead goal but for some silly reason they couldn’t beat Marinovic and somehow kept that ball away from the goal line for an easy tap in.

“It’s a strange one because we thought in many ways we controlled the game in the first half, especially coming right before halftime giving up the set piece goal, It’s disappointing for sure. But we’re still ok.” said Chris Armas.

“They’re dangerous on set pieces, they’ve always been with Waston. We give them a lot of credit. We knew coming in that’d be a difficult challenge, even if Kei was in there. But look, it’s always a challenge, set pieces with Vancouver.”

But you wonder what the homecoming feeling was going to be for Tim Parker as he started his professional career with the Whitecaps coming from St. John’s and being a Long Island native from Hicksville as he discussed the match and his feelings of getting an ovation from the Whitecaps supporters.

“It was definitely really nice to hear it from the crowd.” said Parker, “On the road it’s hard to get momentum. We got a good goal early we were able to take advantage I think of most of the first half. They got a goal on a set piece, that’s kid of how things go sometimes and you’ve got to ride out the momentum train.”

So now it’s time to rest up and get ready for the final Hudson River Derby match up as the Red Bulls will travel across the Hudson River for the final time and take on NYCFC in mid-week action this coming Wednesday.