On the backs of losing the derby to NYC at Red Bull Arena, Red Bull bounced back in a big way Sunday night down in the Texas heat earning a much deserved 4-3 victory at Q2 Stadium.
With their US Open Cup semi-final game against Orlando City midweek, Gerhard Struber went with a youthful and rotated team with the likes of Caden Clark, Serge Ngoma, Daniel Edelman, and Dru Yearwood drawing into the starting XI.
A nice little tidbit, according to Steve Cangialosi on the MSG pre-game show, this is the first time in Red Bull/Metro Stars franchise history that four teenagers were in the starting XI for an MLS match.
Red Bull ran rampant for the full 90', scratching and clawing for every ball in the midfield, eventually punishing Austin on the counter. This game wasn't easy however as it would go down to the last kick off the ball.
Here's how Struber's men lined up in Matthew McConaughey territory down in Austin.
The narrative going into the game was that Red Bull wouldn't be able to apply their patented high press due to the Texas heat down in Austin; 98 degrees at kickoff. That was quickly put to bed as Red Bull was all over the hosts from the opening whistle.
In the 3' the referee showed his first yellow of the game to former Red Bull and fan favorite Felipe, who recklessly tackled Sean Nealis with his studs up, putting the big man down for some time.
Red Bull on two different occasions thought they had opened the scoring but were thwarted by the linesmen both times raising his offside flag.
First, it was Omir Fernandez in the 8' with a perfectly placed left-footed finish into the top right-handed corner. Then it was Caden Clark who poked the ball into the net after beating the keeper to a rebound off a Patryk Klimala shot in the 13'. Both however were just narrowly offsides.
Serge Ngoma, in his first career start for Red Bull in MLS, looked the part with the big club. Ngoma was the best player on the field for Red Bull, using his pace to get open to create plays for himself or to find a teammate in open space.
As Red Bull kept forcing Austin to turn the ball over in midfield, the third time was the charm as Ngoma from outside the box rocketed a sort of knuckleball through the goalkeeper's hands for his second career goal. This one was not going to be called back as Red Bull took a very deserving 1-0 lead.
https://twitter.com/NewYorkRedBulls/status/1551368224608063488?s=20&t=WcZJYBhdCb0X2gp2LImQyQ
Austin's reluctantness to switch tactics and continue to build out from the back would be their ultimate downfall as they were playing right into Gerhard Struber's hands.
Red Bull, off the back of their all-out counter-press, led to them doubling their lead in the 26'.
Klimala started a play by intercepting a pass back to the Austin defenders. Taking on his defender the Pole cut onto his left foot outside the box and tested the goalkeeper, forcing him to make a save.
Though Austin wasn't out of danger yet, Nick Lima attempted to find Felipe instead of clearing the ball. Dru Yearwood jumped the pass and after three touches towards goal, the Englishmen unleashed a rocket into the far post side netting far post, rooting the keeper to just admire the ball as it fizzed past him into the net.
After a bright start for Red Bull, things turned sour just after 30' when Serge Ngoma was forced off with an injury to his hamstring that he has already injured early this season. Cameron Harper would replace the 17-year-old on the right wing.
https://twitter.com/USMNTZ/status/1551376297334435840?s=20&t=WcZJYBhdCb0X2gp2LImQyQ
In the 38' Red Bull once again was on the counter. Dru Yearwood carried the ball into the attack and as Klimala made the perfect run behind the defense Yearwood missed him, eventually turning the ball over. A sight that Klimala has seen all season long.
Austin almost cut the Red Bull lead in half when Felipe beat Aaron Long in the box, but the former Red Bull gave his ex-employers a gift as he blasted a shot way over the crossbar.
Though just minutes later, Austin got their goal just before the halftime interval. MVP candidate Sebastian Driussi saw a ball land at his feet off a corner and volleyed a ball through eight players past a helpless Carlos Coronel who didn't see the ball until it touched the back of the net. That was Druissi's 12th goal of the season and he was not done.
Heading into the break, Red Bull almost was able to bring a 2-0 lead into the locker room, but they still had a lead on the road after the first 45' so they shouldn't have their heads down after that performance.
With eyes looking towards Wednesday's open cup match, Struber to start the second half took a gamble and subbed off captain Aaron Long, who is still coming back from his torn Achilles last season.
Dylan Nealis replaced the captain and slotted in at the right back position, moving Tom Edwards over to center back next to Sean Nealis.
Building off their success in the first half, Yearwood intercepted a lazy Alexandre Ring pass in midfield and Red Bull was on the attack.
The boys in white would reclaim their two-goal lead in the 50' after as Yearwood found Cameron Harper spiting the defense and then sent Ruben Gabrielsen flying past him after the young winger cut onto his left foot, slotting home his finish past the keeper for the 3-1 lead on the road.
Austin quickly looked to cut the deficit once again just two minutes later after Maximiliano Urruti split the Red Bull center backs but Sean Nealis was able to get back into position and deflect the Argentine's shot onto the post, saving Red Bull at the end of the sequence.
In the 65' the game continued to go Red Bull's way as the visitors would find a fourth goal in front of the rambunctious Austin crowd.
A Carlos Coronel goal kick eventually found the head of Caden Clark who was able to win a header to Cameron Harper. Harper then rotated his body 180 degrees to chip a ball into the path of a full-speed Tom Barlow and off the half volley, Barlow buried one into the far corner of the net to a but seal the game for Red Bull as they now had a three-goal cushion on the road.
Or so everybody thought.
Red Bull, even though Austin had 78% possession, was frustrating the hosts defensively and were dominating when they were able to win a ball in midfield and counter.
Red Bull was making one of the best teams in the league play the game how they wanted to play and making it look easy.
But if you take your foot off the gas for even a second when a player like Sebastian Driussi is on the pitch, he is going to make you pay. Driussi dropped back to receive the ball deep in midfield and then was on a mission to get Austin back into the game
Off one touch Driussi was able to shed Yearwood and it was all over from there as he let one go from around 30 yards out and was able to fracture Coronel's net with his GOALZO. The deficit back down to two goals in the 70' and the home team wasn't ready to go down without a fight.
Austin was once again on the front foot, constantly pressuring Red Bull's box with crosses, corners and were getting set to throw the kitchen sink at them.
In the 81', Austin would get their third when Driussi crossed it to Washington Corozo at the back post, who then bicycle kicked the ball into the path of a wide-open Ethan Finlay who easily slotted it home and we had a game on our hands for the last ten minutes of play.
In front of the supporter section, Austin thought they had the equalizer off a corner, but Coronel once again was standing on his head for Red Bull as he parried away a very dangerous header targeted for the back of the net.
As time was winding down Cristian Casseres Jr. had a chance in the 86' to actually seal the game this time as he was able to get his shot through a crowd and towards the Austin goal but Andrew Tarbell was able to get a paw on it.
Red Bull was really holding on for dear life as with every foul or every ball out of play, they would milk every second they could off the clock.
As we approached the 90', Red Bull would have to deal with five more minutes of stoppage time to walk away with the victory.
In a last gasp of hope at stealing a point, Austin sent Tarbell in Red Bull's box for one last shot in the 95' as Red Bull was one defensive stop away from the victory. But the ensuing free kick from Austin was cleared and referee Guido Gonzales Jr. blew his whistle signaling that the job was complete.
Austin never quit in the game, making it tough for their quest for all 95', but Red Bull was able to hold on for one of their best wins of the season, picking up three points down in the Texas heat with a rotated starting XI.
Talking to the media post-game Gerhard Struber was asked about the extent of Serge Ngoma's injury
"Right now, no clear information. My feeling right now is not super sexy, it's not real good. I feel outstandingly sad about it. We have to make a clear setup and we'll see what's the result."
https://twitter.com/pvtmcbain/status/1551367718074552327?s=20&t=WcZJYBhdCb0X2gp2LImQyQ
Onto the game, Struebr knew what Austin's game plan was and said Red Bull executed the plan to perfection.
"We know Austin is a possession team. With our setup today, we crushed their plan today. We had so much pressure on their full-backs and Patryk Klimala was smart today. We had chances to score, in the second half we were clinical when we scored."
Struber continued his opening statement by saying, "It was a fight until the last second. Today, I can see we have many players with scoring ability, we deserved this . We have to regenerate with a good sleep and then travel tomorrow to Orlando. We will give everything ."
Once Dru Yearwood stepped up to the podium, the Red Bull MOTM was asked what it was like to beat Austin in the Q2, only being the second team to do so this season.
"I’ll be honest, I had no clue of their home record before the game, I don’t think anyone did. It was pretty surprising after really when they told us that they only had one loss at home. It was so good for us and I’m proud of the boys, proud of everybody"
Now the focus shifts to Wednesday night as Red Bull has a date with Orlando City in the semi-finals of the US Open Cup with a spot in a final on the line.
Red Bull has already defeated Orlando in Exploria Stadium already this season when they thrashed the Lions 3-0 back on April 24th.
If they are to repeat that outcome, Red Bull will need their stars to show up as they did the first time around. Luquinhas Cristian Casseres Jr. and Lewis Morgan all found the back of the net as the trio and the rest of the Red Bull squad look to make their first final since 2017.
https://youtu.be/bUnVxQa08kU
Match Stats
Final Score: NY 4, ATX 3
Possession: NY 22%, ATC 78%
Shots (On Goal): NY 13 (8), ATX 14 (6)
Fouls: NY 16, ATX 13
Corners: NY 1, ATX 8
Saves: NY 3, ATX 4
Next Game: July 27th, @ Orlando City 7:30 PM EST (US Open Cup Semi-Finals)