On a night at Sports Illustrated Stadium that felt more like a First Round game in terms of weather, with cold wind and rain coming down on Harrison, N.J., as opposed to a Round of 16 match – the drama certainly wasn’t on ice. The New York Red Bulls, buoyed by a mix of young players and experienced veterans, clawed back against FC Dallas twice to force extra time.
Two-time DFB-Pokal winner Emil Forsberg scored a stoppage time free kick to tie the game at 2-2, before penalty kicks were needed to decide a winner. In the fifth round, MLS newcomer Pedrinho saw his attempt saved by goalkeeper A.J. Marcucci to secure the win; 4-3.
“Super excited that we were able to come out with the win. The (stoppage time goal) – I mean, that’s just cup magic right there,” midfielder and team captain Daniel Edelman said with a laugh. “Emil (Forsberg) doing what he does and then the whole group just staying together. It shows a lot about our character.”
The loss means that New York’s on-going winning-streak against FC Dallas remains intact. In all competitions, the Red Bulls have not lost to Dallas in ten games dating back to 2012. The last Dallas was able to get a win away from home in the series? That dates back to 2006 at Giants Stadium.
With the win, New York advances to the US Open Cup Quarterfinals for only the second time since the club’s run to the 2017 tournament final. Overall, this marks the tenth time the Red Bulls or MetroStars have reached the Elite Eight.
On Wednesday night, the New York Red Bulls rotated much of its squad for the match. The team’s top two goal scorers, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Emil Forsberg, who have accounted for 12 goals in the league season, both started on the bench. As did regular goalkeeper Carlos Coronel. Instead, the offense was composed of Mohammed Sofo, who scored a brace last round, the young Polish international Wiktor Bogacz, and Wike Carmona. A.J. Marcucci suited up for his third ever start with the first team in goal.
On the other side, despite having a similar record and just as many games this month, FC Dallas’ lineup was strong – resembling what he used against Houston Dynamo last weekend. The team’s leading goalscorers, Peter Musa, Anderson Julio, and Luciano Acosta, all suited up in the Starting XI.
Red Bulls head coach Sandro Schwarz says he and his group were trying to prepare for all types of scenarios in terms of who they’d be facing, but Acosta’s inclusion was always the big question.
“We said we have to prepare that they are playing with the best guys, with the best players in their starting lineup,” Schwarz said. “But of course we were also thinking about ‘we are not sure that Acosta is playing’. But he played. And this is good. At the end, it’s good for us. We can see the young guys, how they compete against them – and it was very well.”
This season New York has had two major issues, looking threatening in the final third and closing out games. The former reared its head early on Wednesday night. The home side controlled the ball but failed to find many clinical chances on goal. A bad turnover by Dallas keeper Maarten Paes gave the ball to Mohammed Sofo near the edge of the box. He slung a shot just over the crossbar in the 24th minute.
The visitors began to find ways to do more with little in terms of possession time. Dallas was able to pass the ball around the RBNY box whenever it was at the end of the field. That only allowed for one shot in the first half, but it was a big one. A long pass was one touched by Peter Musa to a nearby Bernard Kamungo. Kamungo ran into the box on the left side and went opposite netting for the game’s opening goal.
For their part, the Red Bulls nearly responded immediately when another bad giveaway allowed Wiktor Bogacz to send a shot just wide right of the goal.
Of note, referee Alyssa Nichols began to make her own presence known in the game at this point. Multiple calls throughout the night were questioned by both teams. One example was a New York attack that was called off in the 31st minute when the official whistled for a handball against New York, after Sofo chested the ball.
At the half, with one Dallas making changes, New York’s attack jumped gear. It went from two shots overall in the first half to ten, including two on target, in the second half. Peter Stroud skied a shot just over the crossbar early on to signify that change.
The game’s dam broke in the 62nd minute when a Daniel Edelman shot in the box was blocked by a Dallas defender. Sofo jumped on the rebound and slotted in a game tying goal, his third of the competition, which is tied for the tournament lead. That goal marked his last act of the game as the Red Bulls made a triple sub to bring in regular starters Choupo-Moting, Emil Forsberg, and Cameron Harper.
“It was important because, you know, at that moment, like we needed a goal to come back (into) the game, to change the momentum of the game,” Sofo said when asked about the score. “And, yeah, very happy to get that goal. Because after that, we started believing even more.”
That belief didn’t come without challenges. In the 72nd minute, Dallas was pushing for an equalizer. Two back-to-back required saves from the Pennsylvania native: Musa from point blank and Kamunga from distance off a rebound. But Dallas was able to break through in the 76th minute when Kamungo was involved in yet another goal.
He found Luciano Acosta with a pass and the former MLS MVP walked through the New York backline to score for the visitor’s second lead of the night. It looked as though RBNY’s second issue of not being able to close out games was coming up once again.
Time was running out on New York before last year’s major signing made an impact. Emil Forsberg, the big import from RB Leipzig, stepped up as his team was awarded a late free kick just outside the Dallas box. With over half of the four stoppage time minutes played, his attempt hit off the body of Dallas midfielder Ramiro to tie the game at 2-2.
“Emil (Forsberg) is very important player for us,” Coach Schwarz said of his team’s usual captain, though he wasn’t wearing the band tonight. “And then what I said he’s always feeling the responsibility for the whole group.”
The game was sent to extra time, with a relatively quiet opening 15 minutes. The second extra time half was all but normal. In the 110th minute, a long pass to Choupo-Moting was headed down towards a running Forsberg on net. The midfielder was swung around by Ramiro, and crashed into Paes. Initially, referee Nichols just called for a free kick – despite pleass for DOGSO (Denying an Obvious Goal-Scoring Opportunity). It took nearly three minutes for the fourth official to chime in and inform her to card Ramiro with a straight red, bringing Dallas down to ten players.
“The refereeing … I dunno. It is what it is. You gotta deal with it in the Open Cup,” Edelman said, clawing for any sort of words that wouldn’t get him in trouble. “I dunno if I can comment, I don’t wanna make a bad comment.” He at least laughed at the end.
The game found itself in a shootout. Both team’s leading scorers started off in front of the South Ward, the three sections for RBNY’s supporters groups. Choupo-Moting converted his Round 1 attempt, while Acosta tried to Panenka but it hit off the crossbar.
It was a perfect round 2, but in the third round New York’s Wiki Carmona saw his attempt saved. Logan Farrington converted into the top left corner to tie the shootout back up at two each. Another set of conversions in the fourth round essentially set-up sudden death. Forsberg calmly sent his fifth round attempt into the lower left side, meaning Dallas needed to score. Pedrinho’s attempt to the right center was stopped by Marcucci and gave New York the win, 4-3 on PKs after a 2-2 draw.
Coach Schwarz said after the game that he was happy his young goalkeeper, who returned from a European loan ahead of this season, was able to have that moment. Something he earned.
“I’m very proud of him that he had this special and very important moment in the US Open Cup. It’s a great goalkeeper which we have,” Schwarz said “And it’s good to see him now in this important spot that he’s on the highest level.”
The Red Bulls will now face the Philadelphia Union in July’s Quarterfinals, an I-95 derby for two teams still looking to win their first major knockout trophies.
Scoring Summary
28’ – FC Dallas – Bernard Kamungo (Petar Musa)
63’ – New York Red Bulls – Mohammed Sofo
77’ – FC Dallas – Luciano Acosta (Bernard Kamungo)
90+3 – New York Red Bulls – Emil Forsberg
Penalty Kick Summary:
RBNY – Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (convert, bottom right)
FCD – Luciano Acosta (miss, crossbar)
RBNY – Noah Eile (convert, bottom right)
FCD – Shaq Moore (convert, bottom left)
RBNY – Wiki Carmona (saved, bottom left)
FCD – Logan Farrington (convert, top left)
RBNY – Daniel Edelman (convert, left side netting)
FCD – Marco Farfan (convert, middle)
RBNY – Emil Forsberg (convert, bottom left)
FCD – Pedrinho (saved, bottom right)
Lineups
New York Red Bulls: A.J. Marcucci (GK); Raheem Edwards (Omar Valencia, 101’), Noah Eile, Sean Nealis, Kyle Duncan (Alexander Hack, 85’), Daniel Edelman ©, Peter Stroud (Ronald Donkor, 85’), Dennis Gjengaar (Cameron Harper, 64’), Wiki Carmona, Mohammed Sofo (Emil Forsberg, 64’), Wiktor Bogacz (Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, 64’)
Unused subs: Carlos Coronel (GK)
Manager: Sandro Schwarz
FC Dallas: Maarten Paes (GK); Nolan Norris (Marco Farfan, 65’), Lalas Abubakar, Osaze Urhoghide, Shaq Moore, Ramiro, Kaick Ferreira (Pedrinho, 105’), Luciano Acosta ©, Bernard Kamungo (Sebastian Ibeagha, 81’), Anderson Julio (Paxton Pomykal, 65’), Petar Musa (Logan Farrington, 91’)
Unused subs: Michael Collodi (GK), Katiego Ntsabeleng
Manager: Eric Quill
Yellow Cards
Ramiro, FC Dallas 26’
Nolan Norris, FC Dallas 38’
Alexander Hack, New York Red Bulls 91’
Raheem Edwards, New York Red Bulls 98’
Red Cards
Ramiro, FC Dallas 113’
Attendance: 3,724
Referee: Alyssa Nichols
AR1: Thomas Felice
AR2: Christian Little
4th Official: Luis Diego Arroyo