“Why can’t we?” The infamous question New York Red Bulls captain Emil Forsberg asked after a tough loss at home to the Columbus Crew and just before the club’s playoff run began. Fast forward over a month later and the Red Bulls became the Eastern Conference Champions on their way to the MLS Cup.
No Lionel Messi and Co. with Inter Miami, no defending champions in the Columbus Crew, and no defending Supporters’ Shield winners in FC Cincinnati, but the seventh-seeded New York Red Bulls.
A valiant effort from New York’s defense and a free kick taken by John Tolkin that found the head of Andres Reyes was all it took for the 1-0 victory over Orlando SC. This was the Red Bulls’ first-ever Eastern Conference Championship win and for it to happen in head coach Sandro Schwarz’s inaugural year is something special.
“We had this experience in the last game in the regular season against Columbus and then we had two weeks to prepare for the first game,” Schwarz said. “… You get the confidence with every result, then you create your moments, very good situations after set pieces, very good situations especially after second ball. It’s clear when you win against the champion from the last season against Columbus that you have more confidence in your quality, in your performance, and that you believe…”
The first half was a slow start for both sides, though New York was able to keep most of the possession. The midfield connected their passes well and the defense did a good job of creating counterattacks after stopping Orlando.
The Red Bulls wasted no time coming into the second half scoring the match’s only goal in the 47th minute. Tolkin sent the ball in on a free kick similar outside the 18 and found Reyes for a perfect header that hit off the post and in.
“[Emil Forsberg] made up his mind I was going to take it and he said, ‘put this on goal’ and I was like hell yeah,” Tolkin said. “Andres is a dog, he’s been huge for us all year and especially in these playoffs and to see it go in was super cool and that was a good play.”
New York’s defense understood the message and shut down Orlando for the rest of the half. But credit must go to goalkeeper Carlos Coronel who earned yet another clean sheet in these playoffs, his third to be exact with three paramount saves. Coronel tied Red Bull legend Luis Robles with the most clean sheets in a single postseason in franchise history.
New York reached their second-ever MLS Cup but their first in 16 years. The club is also the lowest seed to make the MLS Cup as they entered the playoffs as the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference.
“We knew it wasn’t going to be easy,” Tolkin said. “It’s hard coming here [Orlando] but I think you saw our mentality throughout the whole game, especially the second half. I think we deserve this one.”
The Red Bulls will now face the Los Angeles Galaxy on Saturday, Dec. 7. For one last time this year New York will compete and this time it will be for the MLS Cup. So, for one last time, why can’t we?
