NY Red Bulls Advance Sending Charlotte FC Home

The stage was set for an intense showdown between the New York Red Bull and Charlotte FC in the first-ever MLS Wild Card play-in match. Both teams had underperformed throughout the season, failing to meet the expectations of their fans and critics.

On Decision Day, the Red Bull narrowly avoided elimination thanks to a last-second penalty kick. Without that crucial goal, their playoff dreams would have been shattered. Meanwhile, Charlotte FC secured their playoff spot by defeating Inter Miami 1-0 at home, following a 1-1 draw in Miami just three days prior.

The Red Bulls’ dramatic victory not only secured them a wild card spot but also granted them the advantage of playing at home in the wild card match. With everything on the line, both teams were determined to prove themselves and salvage their disappointing seasons.

Unfortunately, the fan turnout for the match between the New York Red Bull and Charlotte FC was disappointing. The rally towels, which were likely intended to enhance the atmosphere, only served to highlight the lack of attendance. It seems that the Red Bulls will need to focus on improving their marketing and community relations efforts during the off-season to attract more fans to their matches.

Considering the stature of the MLS as a professional Division 1 league, this game should have been an easy sellout. The same could be said for their co-tenants, NY/NJ Gotham FC, who have advanced to the next round of the NWSL playoffs and are just one win away from reaching the Finals in San Diego, CA.

Both teams must work on engaging their fan base and creating a stronger connection with the community to ensure better attendance and support in the future.

The New York Red Bulls came out with great intensity and dominated the early stages of the match against Charlotte FC. In the 11th minute, Elias Manoel scored his first goal of the MLS playoffs, assisted by Daniel Edelman. The goal that went 2nd post underwent a short review but was quickly confirmed. However, less than a minute later, Charlotte had a chance to equalize, but a crucial save by Carlos Coronel kept the Red Bulls’ early lead intact.

In the 26th minute, JMi extended the Red Bulls’ lead with a fantastic free-kick goal from 25 yards out, finding the upper 90 with incredible precision at the first post. This was Tolkin’s first goal of the MLS playoffs and increased the lead to 2-0 in less than 30 minutes of play. The Red Bulls continued to press forward, knowing the dangers of a two-goal lead being considered the worst lead in sports. The offseason surrounding JMi will be intense to follow, his play continues to get better by leaps and bounds. The interest in JMi in Europe is increasing every time he steps on the pitch.

Elias Manoel once again found the back of the net, this time with a shot across the net into the upper level just before the first post. This marked his second goal of the MLS playoffs and completed his brace in the match. Just before the end of the first half, Coronel had to make another important save to preserve the Red Bulls’ lead.

Troy Lesesne, the coach of the NY Red Bulls, will surely address the defensive lapses and chances given up by his team during halftime. Tightening up the defensive performance will be crucial for the Red Bull if they want to go far in this playoff tournament.

Congratulations to John Tolkin aka JMi on his 100th appearance in MLS! It’s a significant milestone that highlights his contributions and dedication to the league. With just one more assist, he has the opportunity to become the all-time leader for assists as a homegrown player, which is a remarkable achievement.

Additionally, JMi’s goal in this match makes him only the second defender in club history to score a goal in the MLS playoffs. This further showcases his versatility and ability to make an impact on both ends of the field.

JMi’s accomplishments demonstrate his importance to the team and his ability to make a difference in crucial moments. It’s a testament to his skill and hard work throughout his career.

Photo Credit: MLS/NY Red Bulls/John Tolkin

The second half started with sloppy play from the Red Bulls, which was unexpected considering their strong performance in the first half and the halftime speech one would have anticipated from Coach Troy. In the 49th minute, Charlotte managed to find the back of the net through a beautiful bicycle kick by Kerwin Vargas. The goal was spectacular, but the Red Bulls had several opportunities to clear the ball before the goal was scored. Karol Swiderski provided the assist, narrowing the lead to two goals with the score now 3-1 and plenty of time left to play.

In the 56th minute, Barlow scored another typical “hit and go in” type of goal, making a good run to position himself for the bumper position. JMi provided the assist, officially making John Tolkin the leader in assists for a homegrown player. This extended the Red Bulls’ lead to 4-1, giving them a three-goal advantage once again.

However, in the 64th minute, Patrick Agyemang made a strong run down the left flank, overpowering Kyle Duncan and chipping the ball over a vulnerable Coronel, who did his best to keep it out of the net. The chip found the upper 90 of the second post, bringing the scoreline to 4-2 and making it a two-goal game with plenty of time remaining.

The score remained 4-2 until the 78th minute when Elias Manoel secured a hat trick. After receiving a well-weighted ball from Luquinhas, Elias entered the Charlotte backfield all alone, moved from the left flank towards the center of the box, and fired the ball past the outstretched keeper, Kristijan Kahlina. This goal made it 5-2 with 12 minutes plus stoppage time left to play.

Charlotte had a few solid chances in the dying minutes, but Coronel stood tall and preserved the win for the Red Bulls. Despite the sloppy start to the second half, the Red Bulls managed to maintain their lead and secure the victory.

The Red Bulls will now face off against Cincinnati FC, the winners of the Supporter Shield, at TQL Stadium, the city of Cincinnati is famously known for its skyline chili. The match is scheduled for Sunday at 8 p.m. and is expected to be another intense and closely contested matchup between the two teams, who have a history of physical and tightly contested matches. Cincinnati has had the upper hand in recent encounters, eliminating the Red Bulls from the playoffs last season and defeating them in this year’s US Open Cup.

In the post-game press conference, Red Bull coach Troy Lesesne acknowledged that his team cannot afford to play like they did in the second half of the current match against FCC. He emphasized the need for a better performance, as playing similarly against Cincinnati would result in a difficult night for his side in the best-of-three series.

The Red Bulls will return to their home ground, Red Bull Arena in Harrison, NJ, for the second game of the series against Cincinnati on Saturday, November 4th. The match is set to kick off at 7 p.m.