Red Bulls Break 16-game Winless Drought vs Philadelphia Union
Red Bulls Break 16-game Winless Drought vs Philadelphia Union
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RBNY defenders Noah Eile and Sean Nealis after 1-0 win over Philadelphia Union at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, NJ on Saturday Aug. 16, 2025 | Photo courtesy of @NewYorkRedBulls on X |
For the first time since September 22, 2019, the New York Red Bulls have recorded a win over the Philadelphia Union. Just three days after bowing out to the Union in the US Open Cup Quarterfinals, the Red Bulls picked up their second straight MLS win at the behest of Philadelphia in a narrow 1-0 victory on Saturday at Sports Illustrated Stadium.
This victory comes at a crucial time for New York, whose sole task (after Open Cup elimination) is now qualifying for the MLS Cup Playoffs for what would be a record-extending 16th straight season. Coming into the weekend, New York were one spot out of the playoff picture in 10th in the Eastern Conference, while their I-95 foes were atop the Supporters’ Shield standings with 51 points through 26 games.
Amidst a player availability crisis, New York would enter matchday with as many as nine players listed as injured, ill, or potentially unable to participate. However, two players listed as questionable would factor greatly into the game, including star striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, who would assist Dylan Nealis for the game’s only goal, and veteran center back Tim Parker, who has increasingly earned trust from manager Sandro Schwarz at this stage of the season.
Former Red Bulls assistant/interim coach and current Philadelphia Union manager, Bradley Carnell made seven personnel changes from his club’s 3-2 Open Cup victory over New York just three days prior, some tactical decisions and others due to player suspension and injury.
While Schwarz did not have the same ability to rotate players with such a short bench for this match, the consistent performances of his team continued into the weekend with a strong showing against one of the league’s best. As Philadelphia attempted to establish a rhythm to the game missing some key starters, the Red Bulls threatened with several decent half-chances in the first half of an otherwise back-and-forth midfield struggle.
Matters would become worse for the Union when star goalkeeper Andre Blake went down with a hamstring injury in the 25th minute and would soon be replaced by 19-year-old homegrown Andrew Rick. New York would mount a couple more chances before the halftime break, but the best chance of the half would belong to Philadelphia, as Kai Wagner found Mikael Uhre open in the penalty area in first half stoppage time but the Danish striker fired his shot wide.
New York continued to look like the better team into the second half, but some big second half substitutions including the likes of Bruno Damiani, Quinn Sullivan and Philadelphia’s top scorer Tai Baribo gave the Union a second wind, culminating in Sullivan drawing a penalty on Parker, an unfortunate handball from the Long Island native.
After a brief VAR review in the 68th minute, Damiani would be called upon to take the spot kick for what could’ve been a devastating blow to the Red Bulls’ season, but star goalkeeper Carlos Coronel made a fantastic full-extension dive to his left to slap away the penalty. It was a potentially season-defining moment for Coronel and the Red Bulls, who earned the starting goalkeeper job back from young AJ Marcucci who suffered a ruptured ACL in New York’s Wednesday night loss.
Now with an already rowdy Fireworks Night crowd in their corner, the 21,000+ at Sports Illustrated Stadium found another level and so did the players on the field. Just six minutes after the saved penalty, New York would find the breakthrough via an excellent team goal. The goal would flow through the nucleus of New York’s roster, as midfield engine Daniel Edelman played the ball into captain Emil Forsberg, who switched the point of attack to Choupo-Moting before the Red Bulls top scorer played Dylan Nealis into space, who slotted a brilliant finish past Rick for his first MLS goal and to take a late lead.
Philadelphia would mount a number of good chances before the match’s end, including a number of crosses and free kicks that defenders Parker and Noah Eile were tasked with dispelling, prompting Schwarz to bring on an additional center back in Sean Nealis, ensuring the clean sheet and preserving the crucial three points.
The Red Bulls end the weekend where they began, in 10th place outside of the MLS playoff picture for now. However, this result is not without huge importance, as it keeps New York level on points with the Chicago Fire and within striking distance of New York City FC in 8th, despite both teams having won on the weekend and with games in hand. With seven matches remaining in the MLS regular season, it’s officially “squeaky bum time” and every point is crucial, but a gutsy win like this over the league leaders, breaking a six-year duck against a conference rival, injecting hope back into a dejected fanbase, can be the recipe that sparks a late-season playoff push.
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