By Sylvana Budesheim // @WhiteZinWench
Saturday, April 21: 1-2 Loss
The expectation was simple: the team wins at home. Red Bull Arena is a fortress, built on clean sheets and comeback wins. The team looked oh-so-awesome in the Parley kits made from recycled ocean plastics with the blue numbers for their annual Autism Awareness Night. The weather was great, the crowd was hopping.
Today, we’re wearing blue numbers to support Autism Awareness.#RBNYvCHI | #RBNY pic.twitter.com/nMM3GbkkDs
— New York Red Bulls (@NewYorkRedBulls) April 21, 2018
I guess I was spoiled.
The New York Red Bulls (3-3-0) fell for the first time at their home pitch to the Chicago Fire (2-3-1). I had expected a view to a kill. All I got was a bittersweet symphony.
FACE TO FACE: Let me be clear: I love Dax McCarty; I do not miss Dax McCarty. He was out there doing what he did for the Red Bulls, *to* the Red Bulls. And that’s understandable- that’s his job. And I have to point out there were moments where homegrown players Sean Davis and Tyler Adams did that same job just as well, if not better.
TO FATAL SOUNDS OF BROKEN DREAMS: Damn, Daniel.
I’m serious. Daniel Royer finally… FINALLY!… finds the back of the net in the match, only to have it called back because Derrick Etienne was ruled offside. You don’t need to be an expert lip reader to know what Royer’s response was… especially when he had cause to say it more than once.
Meanwhile, the Fire took their chances, few and far between as they were. A ridiculous rebound off a defended corner (Aleksandar Katai, 30’) and a penalty kick brought on by a moment’s panic (Nemanja Nikolic, 69’).
THE FATAL KISS IS ALL WE NEED: Eleven shots in each half, but with a single goal to show for it (Wright-Phillips, 81’). Murillo attempted a shot on a free kick that sailed wide. Misses from Kaku, Florian Valot, and Tyler Adams. Fire goalkeeper Richard Sanchez was credited with 9 saves, the majority of which came right to him. Once again, the team dominated the clock, the ball, the field, and the goal frame, but the goals are what matter. The team couldn’t get enough of those.
(Okay, so I know I said I’d pick songs from this century… but if you can’t get behind Duran Duran or Bond theme songs, we can’t be friends.)
Featured image courtesy: Colin Rosen
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