It maybe the second game of the 2021 season, but as of right now the New York Red Bulls are not looking like themselves. Sure they may have dominated many statistical categories in this one, but we all know the most important stat is the scoreboard and in this one the New York Red Bulls fell to the Los Angeles Galaxy by a final of three goals to two and have no points in two matches.
Javier Hernandez who we all know goes by the name “Chicharito” had a horrible 2020 season in Major League Soccer, well in 2021 he is making up for lost time, as he has torched the net five times in three matches. He earned his first Hat Trick of the season as the Red Bulls defense looked poor and sloppy at times whenever he was close to the end. He opened the scoring in the ninth minute by catching up to a deflected ball, that looked like it was going out over the end line, but Hernandez caught up to the ball and poked it in. The original shot was deflected off a Red Bull defender and keeper Carlos Coronel tried to make a diving save, but was nowhere near the ball, but Chicharito knew and tucked it home.
He scored his second goal in the 41st minute off a great cross from Victor Vazquez as he whipped the ball into the Red Bu8lls Area. remained onside and nutmegged Coronel for his second goal of the match. While the far side assistant did raise his flag for offside, VAR was called in and on the replay it clearly showed that Hernandez was onside when the ball was played. The third and final goal for Chicharito was another sloppy defensive effort in the 60th minute when the cross came along the near side, Another deflection off the Red Bulls defender, and a side smash inside the far post. for the Hat Trick.
“First of all, I’m very, very disappointed about the result. I think we win every race within the statistics, and in the end we have a game with many chances, and especially in the second half, the game is absolutely in our hand, but one, two moments we are not ready and they can use their chances.” said Red Bulls Head Coach Gerhard Struber “Especially Chicharito today was in outstanding form and show us the determination that we need. He was the changer in the game.
“In the end, for me, it’s not a surprise, especially for me that our way, in this time, is not so easy from the results. We make steps further in our principles and this is a good feeling but otherwise, we are a professional team, we need the right results and right now we can not realize the results that we want. This is what makes me a little bit frustrated, and also my boys, this is my opinion about the game.
The Red Bulls did have some moments to level the match and pull back a goal in this one as their pressing tactics did frustrate the Galaxy. Andrew Gutman did level the score in the 26th minute as he smashed home a ball where he retrieved it along the far side and got inside the area. Gave the ball to Brian White, who gave it back and he took his shot low. Got it inside the back post for his first MLS goal.
“It was a special moment for me. We won the ball back in a good area and [Brian] Whitey made a nice run on the outside and kind of directed two people with him. “said Gutman, “We got a little fortunate with the bounce and then he was able to just kind of lay it out for me. In that moment, I was just very calm, I saw the back post and I just hit it like I would hit a shot in the training ground and luckily it went in. It was a special moment for me and my family and I’m really happy about it.”
Their second goal was converted three minutes later after Chicharito’s Hat trick. On a free-kick, the ball floated towards Amro Tarek who tried to flick it back with his right foot and in a crowd, Cristian Casserers Jr. heads it in to pull one back. Daniel Royer who entered the match as a substitute tried a long-distance shot to level the match was stopped by Jonathan Bond Captain Sean Davis had his thoughts on the game.
“Without much time to reflect on the performance, my initial thoughts are that it’s a performance where we feel like we’re in control for 85-90% of the game, but in this league that’s not enough with the way that we play, that’s not enough. We have to be on high alert at all times and I think that we’re disappointed that we conceded three goals that, in my opinion, were preventable, and you’re not going to win on the road, you’re not going to pick up points on the road when you concede three goals. ” Said Davis,” That’s not just on our backline, that’s on the entire team, that’s how we play, we defend as a group, and everyone has to be completely locked in. If we want to get a shutout on the road, what’s the point of running and pressing as much as we do if we’re going to concede soft goals. It’s not good enough and we recognize that and it’s just the truth and we have to face the music. We have to get back to training and be better. “
Right now the Red Bulls are off to an 0-2 start to their new season and at the moment it looks like small mistakes are becoming big problems for them with their defending. This is not a finished product by any means, but if they want to start winning, they must find a way to correct these problems or else they could miss the playoffs for the very first time in a very long time and that is not doable as of right now.