BWP and Bulls remain Red hot
IT’S TOUGH to say if anyone is going to stop the surging Red Bulls. But one thing’s for sure: Toronto FC didn’t stand a chance.
The Red Bulls continued their torrid ascent up the MLS Eastern Conference table Saturday night, topping Toronto, 3-0, before 20,685 at Red Bull Arena behind goals from Bradley Wright-Phillips, Anthony Wallace and newcomer Gonzalo Veron.
The Red Bulls (11-6-6) are unbeaten in their last six league matches and have won seven of nine. After earning three points on Saturday night, the Red Bulls are firmly entrenched in second place in the Eastern Conference, having pulled within five points of the first-place D.C. United side that fell to New York City FC at the Stadium on Thursday night.
“All these guys have just stepped in and done the job,” coach Jesse Marsch said. “Everybody now has been up for the task. They’re on the same page. They know their roles, and they’re committed. They’re committed to playing for each other.”
The Red Bulls entered Saturday’s contest against one of the most potent offensive teams in MLS without starting defender Damien Perrinelle, who was suspended for two games after punching NYCFC’s Jefferson Mena in the face during a 2-0 win last Sunday.
Meanwhile, fourth-place Toronto (9-104) brought to town two U.S. men’s national team stalwarts in midfielder Michael Bradley and forward Jozy Altidore, both New Jersey products who once played for the Red Bulls franchise. But the true test for the Red Bulls would be defending Italian attacker Sebastian Giovinco, who has 16 goals in his first MLS season.
Despite all of Toronto’s talent up front, though, the Red Bulls turned in their second straight shutout. And the key to the defensive performance, according to Marsch, was staying physical on Giovinco.
“We wanted to be hard on him. We didn’t want him to find a rhythm,” Marsch said. “We want to make sure that when teams come here, that they don’t have an easy time. . . . And I felt like, in the heat and everything else, we systematically put this game on our terms.”
With that physicality came mounting frustration, however. And in the 10th minute, tempers flared in the 18-yard box before a corner kick. Players pushed and shoved, and the skirmish dragged on as referee Baldomero Toledo refused to enter the scrum. But things eventually settled down, and no cards were issued.
“You don’t want to be pushed around by your opponent, especially at your home field,” center back Matt Miazga said. “It’s just part of your pride.”
Wright-Phillips, the Red Bulls’ leading scorer (11 goals), recorded the decisive score later in the half, receiving a feed from midfielder Mike Grella in the 27th minute before burying a shot in the bottom right corner for his second goal in as many games. “It was a great bit of play by Mike,” Wright-Phillips said. “I just needed to make a little dart and run, and he found me.”
Wallace added insurance in the 66th minute with a blistering strike from 25 yards out. Substitute Veron scored in stoppage time. And thanks to a smash-mouth, never-back-down mentality, the Red Bulls continued their run.
“We want to be an aggressive team. We want to be a physical team,” Marsch said. “We want to have an edge. That’s part of being a successful team, is to have the confidence when you step on the field and have that competitive edge.”