HARRISON, N.J. (July 26, 2015) - The New York Red Bulls earned a 2-1 victory over S.L. Benfica in an International Champions Cup match Sunday night at Red Bull Arena. Bradley Wright-Phillips and Mike Grella each scored to see New York to the top of the ICC table.
The Red Bulls finish their ICC run with a 3-0-1 record, with ICC counting the Red Bulls' regular season results against other MLS sides in the competition, San Jose and Los Angeles, in addition to the 4-2 win over Chelsea from Wednesday night.
Benfica got on the board early, with midfeidler Mehdi Carcela-Gonzalez holding up the ball at the top of the penalty area and laying off for Pizzi, who was able to play into the box and fire a shot by Red Bulls goalkeeper Luis Robles.
Robles played the first half, and kept the deficit to one with a diving saves to deny a break away attempt in the 21st minute.
Wright-Phillips pulled New York level in the 34th minute, benefitting from a bad back-pass between Benfica's center backs. BWP pounced on a loose ball just inside the penalty area and fired a shot by the keeper.
In first half stoppage time, New York survived a free kick from 10 yards out - inside the penalty area - after it was deemed that the ball had been illegally passed backwards to Luis Robles by the Red Bulls defense. Red Bulls captain Dax McCarty blocked the first attempt as part of the wall, and the follow up was denied as well.
The Red Bulls went ahead in the 56th minute with a highlight-reel goal from Grella. The Long Island native took control just outside the box, maneuvered into space and hit a curling shot with the side of his foot that looped over a defender and dipped into the upper 90 on the far side of goal.
Kyle Reynish took over goalkeeping duties for New York at the start of the second half, and made several top-rate saves to preserve the result.
Midfielder Felipe made a game-saving clearance off the goal line after a free kick in the 85th minute.
Captain Dax McCarty will travel to Colorado mid-week to join the MLS All-Stars for a match against Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday evening.
The Red Bulls return to league play with a match against the Philadelphia Union next Saturday at PPL Park.
