HARRISON, N.J. – An all too familiar feeling has returned to Red Bull Arena as the New York Red Bulls find themselves eliminated from postseason play.
After a remarkable season full of highs and lows, the Red Bulls failed to overcome their first leg deficit, succumbing to a ruthlessly efficient Montreal Impact side.
What Could Have Been
Chasing the game thanks to a 1-0 defeat in Montreal, the Red Bulls knew they would have to get one back to keep their season alive, and they had a golden opportunity in the 20th minute.
After Gonzalo Veron pounced on a loose ball in the box, Impact goalkeeper Evan Bush dragged him down, subsequently conceding a penalty kick. Midfielder Sacha Kljestan stepped up from 12 yards looking to give the Red Bulls new life and even up the aggregate score line, but Bush guessed correctly to keep the spot kick out.
“In the end, if I score my goal we’re having a very different conversation,” Kljestan said after the match. “Those types of plays make a big difference and that’s why I feel like I let the team down. In my instance, the game is still there for us.”
The United States international was understandably dejected postgame, but his teammates were hardly pointing fingers, insisting that Kljestan’s missed opportunity did not signal the team’s demise on the day.
“It didn’t affect us at all,” captain Dax McCarty said. “These things happen, you put a lot of money on Sacha burying chances like that and unfortunately Bush guessed right and made a great save. Penalties are a crapshoot, so we were fully confident that we were going to come out and have Sacha’s back and get a goal but they scored first.”
Added goalkeeper Luis Robles: “We’ll all look back individually and think there was something we could have done better. Regardless of whether you look at the goal I gave up or the missed PK, the belief in one other was that we would overcome.”
O Goes MIA
Scoring just one goal in two matches, the Red Bulls simply could not manage to make the most of their chances over both legs of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Bradley Wright-Phillips managed to pull one back in the 77th minute, but the Impact put things out of reach shortly thereafter as Ignacio Piatti completed his brace in the 85th.
It was the story of the series, as the Impact proved to be the far more clinical side in the tie, making the most of their limited chances in front of goal.
“I think Montreal made plays when they needed to make plays,” McCarty added.
“Look at the series, in the first game they had two chances, [Matteo] Mancosu buries basically a half chance, and we miss three or four good opportunities. We come home and we miss a couple opportunities to make it back in the game, and then Piatti scores a great goal. They made plays in the boxes and we didn’t. It’s pretty simple.”
Midfielder Mike Grella echoed his captain’s sentiment.
“We had more chances than them, better chances than them, but they did well to put their chances away when they had them.
Eye Towards the Future
The season may be over, but the Red Bulls are holding their heads high.
The disappointment from an early playoff exit will surely linger for the Red Bulls, the byproduct of high hopes and expectations. Yet there remains optimism for the future as head coach Jesse Marsch explained.
“This is what this club is now; it's bigger than me, it's bigger than anybody. Everything that's been built in this club in the last two years has laid a foundation for great success moving forward. The ultimate reward is MLS Cup, and we haven't -- for whatever reason, this club has struggled to get over that hump, and that part is disappointing.”
Moving on in Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League play for the first time in franchise history, New York will return to the pitch sooner than usual as they look to advance in their quarterfinal matchup against the Vancouver Whitecaps.
“We all know we're on the right path,” Marsch said. “That's for sure.”
