David Ousted saves two PKs as Caps beat the Red Bulls in New York
David Ousted’s been immense for the Whitecaps this season. But before Saturday, he’d never stopped a penalty in MLS: 0-for-8.
You couldn’t have liked his chances against Bradley Wright-Phillips, who scored 27 goals last season to lead the league.
But Ousted came up huge at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J. — twice off WrightPhillips from the spot, and then again in the late going off substitute Manolo Sanchez. To think that Ousted almost didn’t start the game because of illness.
Anatole Abang, who gave the reeling Red Bulls a second-half spark, spoiled Ousted’s shutout in the 2-1 win. But no matter how hard the Caps (9-6-2) seem to make things for themselves, they keep finding ways to win away from home.
On Saturday, against 10-man New York, marked their fifth road win of the season. It’s a new record for them in MLS, although there was plenty to nitpick.
Before the bye week, it was a slew of squandered chances in L.A. that turned what should have been a comfortable 3-0 win into a 1-0 nail-biter.
The Caps invited too much pressure against a Red Bulls team that had Sacha Kljestan sent off in the 10th minute.
Of course, counter-attacking was a big part of the plan, but you wouldn’t have known which team was playing with 10.
Fortunately for the Caps, Kianz Froese, showed his teammates how to finish off a counter in the 77th minute. His first MLS goal made it 2-0, and it turned out to be a crucial insurance tally because the Caps were sloppy defensively in the late going.
For New York, it was their fourth straight defeat.
It was an odd, ugly game but it ended with a usual sight: Ousted coming through in the clutch.