TFC drew a penalty call that seemingly threatened to give the Ontario team a winning goal, even as the entire Red Bulls team dissented against what appeared to be a clear foul by Toronto FC forward Jozy Altidore on RBNY fullback Aaron Long. The referee absolutely got that one-wrong, but Red Bulls goalkeeper Luis Robles made it right. The RBNY goalie dove to his left to deny Jozy's penalty spot-kick and kept the scoreline tied at 1-1.
A questionable, but accurate, off side call, apparently wiped off a “would be” Toronto FC winner, allowing the New York Red Bulls to hold-on for a stalemate, ending their three consecutive game-losing streak while also snapping the Toronto six-game winning run.
Result seems to be acceptable for the Red Bulls
Most times, a home draw seems frustrating, but for an RBNY side that has performed below expectations in recent weeks, standing toe to toe against one of the best clubs in the MLS was obviously a much needed morale booster, especially after last weekend's awful display in a 3-1 defeat to Los Angeles Galaxy. The draw may have snapped Toronto FC's impressive six consecutive game winning streaks, but head coach Greg Vanney's tutored squad would not feel too disappointed earning a road point at the tail end of a busy schedule that has seen the Eastern Conference leaders playing six games in a span of three weeks.
They picked up a “whopping” sixteen points from those games to move up six points ahead of the closest runner-up in the Eastern Conference standings.
Both team managers making formation readjustments
New York Red Bulls fashioned out an unusual formation play, deploying a 4-2-3-1 formation with midfielder Fredik Gulbrandsen starting up next to lone forward Bradley Wright Phillips. The “tandem” combined for the opener when Fredik Gulbrandsen brilliantly headed a Kjestan free-kick cross towards Bradley Wright Phillips, who struck an accurate overhead kick to tally up the scoreline to 1-0 in the thirty-eighth minute.
RBNY manager Jesse Marsch reshuffled back to a one forward setup in the second-half, replacing Fredik Gulbrandsen with rookie Sean Davis.
Toronto FC persistently pushed for an equaliser and eventually found one in the seventieth minute when the French midfielder Benoit Cheyrou headed in a lofty cross from winger Steven Beitashour.
TFC almost snatched the winner
Toronto FC seemed to have a winning goal in the eighty-first minute after Red Bulls defender Damien Perinelle was whistled for a penalty for aggressively taking-down TFC forward Toisaint Ricketts inside the penalty box. Just before that play, which was a clear foul, Jozy Altidore appeared to have earlier fouled defender Aaron Long in order to hold possession of the ball. No whistle came then, but one came on the Damien Perinelle foul which set up Jozy's penalty spot-kick that was eventually denied by Red Bulls heroic goalie Luis Robles.
Later in the eighty-eighth minute, Toronto FC seemed to have the winner when Toisaint Ricketts hastily pounced on a saved shot from Benoit Cheyrou to score what appeared to be Ricketts' latest late game winner, but the jubilation was short-lived after the center referee suddenly ruled that there was an active offside call by one of the officiating linesmen on Benoit Cheyrou shot.
The replay apparently figured out Raheem Edwards in an offside position when Benoit Cheyrou took the far range shot, and he obstructed Luis Robles view of that shot.
The both teams upcoming fixtures
Toronto will look to continue its winning form when they play host to Columbus Crew SC at the BMO Field on Friday, May 26, while the New York Red Bulls travel to New England to take on the New England Revolution on Saturday, May 27.
