ROCHESTER, N.Y. (October 14, 2017) – New York Red Bulls II (13-14-5, 44 points) fell to the Rochester Rhinos (14-7-11, 53 points), 2-1, at Capelli Sport Stadium in Rochester, New York, Saturday.
Facing a home side that needed a win in order to host a home playoff game, NYRB II faced an aggressive Rhinos side determined to end the regular season on a high note for their fans.
NYRB II faced five Rochester shots, two on target, before recording a shot of their own in the 19th minute.
Rochester opened the scoring in the 35th minute as Jochen Graf headed home a Christiano Francois cross past Rafael Diaz to take a 1-0 lead.
NYRB II responded two minutes later with Florian Valot finding the back of the net, his eighth goal in his past nine games, off a Vincent Bezecourt free kick. The goal was Valot’s ninth of the season and Bezecourt’s 11th assist on the year.
Andrew Lombard, a Red Bulls Academy product, made his professional debut starting at left back but came off in the 42nd minute and was replaced by Ethan Kutler due to injury.
Coming out of halftime, NYRB II nearly took a 2-1 lead in the 55th minute off a Junior Flemmings shot the snuck past the keeper but went just wide of the post.
Rochester took advantage and doubled their lead in the 68th minute as a Jordan Scarlett sliding clearance cleared to an on-rushing attacker to push one past Diaz.
In the 81st minute, Scarlett was whistled for a handball in the box and Rochester was given a penalty kick.
Diaz stonewalled the initial attempt as well as the rebound guessing right on the stutter step from the PK taker to keep the deficit at one goal.
NYRB II aimed to find the equalizer but a last-minute header from Kutler didn’t have enough behind it to sneak over the line.
New York will now await their final playoff seeding and first round matchup following the finish of FC Cincinnati – Toronto FC II and Bethlehem Steel FC – St. Louis FC to find out their first round opponent.
New York: Diaz; Lombard (Ethan Kutler, 42nd minute), Scarlett, Ndam, Najem, Bezecourt, Tinari (Arun Basuljevic, 70th minute), Metzger, Flemmings (Ben Mines, 77th minute), Valot, Bonomo
Rochester: Lynd, Farrell, Felix, Pratzner, James, Forbes, Francois (Mike Garzi, 77th minute), Fall (Julian Buscher, 62nd minute), Dover, Lee, Graf (Darius Madison, 90th minute)
Scoring:
New York: Florian Valot 9 (Bezecourt) 37’
Rochester: Jochen Graf 35’, Kenardo Forbes 68’
Discipline:
New York: Vincent Bezecourt 75’, Arun Basuljevic 90’
Rochester: Ryan Felix 61’, Jospeh Farrell 87’
