Second half goals, red card thwart NYCFC in 3-0 Open Cup loss to Red Bulls

By Chris Tsakonas

By Chris Tsakonas

Three second half goals and a red card turned the match in favor of the Red Bulls, and New York City FC’s Open Cup run came to an end in a 3-0 defeat at Red Bull Arena. Lewis Morgan, Luqinhas and Omir Fernandez scored in the match.

The match started off chippy, with New York City picking up three yellow cards in the first 20 minutes of the match.

“I thought the game in general had a lot of fouls in it,” interim head coach Nick Cushing said. “I thought the game was very disruptive, but I mean, that’s the second game on the run where I feel that teams have come and disrupted our rhythm and our flow by regularly fouling.”

Luis Barraza made the first save of the game in the 8th minute, stopping a short range effort from centerback Dylan Nealis.

The Red Bulls created some opportunities in the latter part of the first half. In the 40th minute, Lewis Morgan stepped up to take a close range free kick from just outside the center of the penalty area - but missed just wide left of the post. Two minutes later, Morgan set up a ball for Cristian Casseres in the box, but Barraza came out to make the point blank stop.

In the 52nd minute, the Red Bulls finally got their opener. Off an indirect free kick, Aaron Long nodded it down in the area of Morgan, who finished past Barraza to take the 1-0 lead.

Things got harder in the 61st minute, when Thiago was sent off after headbutting John Tolkin in front of referee Matthew Thompson following a scuffle. Down a goal and 10 men, New York City’s path back into the match got a lot narrower.

“Of course we will talk about it because going down to ten players isn’t ideal in this game, Cushing said. “Derbies are highly charged games, emotional games, so we have to keep our discipline.”

The second goal would come in the 70th minute for the Red Bulls. Off a long cross into the area from Morgan, Kliimala got a close effort on goal that was blocked by Barraza. The rebound fell for Luquinhas, who finished easily.

The deficit got larger for NYCFC when the third goal arrived for the Red Bulls in the first minute of stoppage time, as Cameron Harper found Omir Fernandez on a cross to make it 3-0. The clashes continued between the two sides after the whistle, as Maxi Moralez and Tom Edwards received red cards after the final whistle.

With the defeat, New York City are eliminated from the US Open Cup, precluding what would have been a club-first semifinal appearance in the competition. It’s a quick turnaround for NYCFC, as they head down I95 to play the Philadelphia Union on Sunday in a clash between two of the Eastern Conference’s best clubs.