RBNY v Orlando
A trio of the MLS title game players of last season are no longer with NY and a pair are out injured. This is the same game as the semi of the 2024 season.
First pressure comes from the visitors as Freeman gets a ball on the wing and Coronel is out of the area, nods it out for a header, now being at the touchline, he is well out of position a quick restart was not taken. Orlando again gets down the line but nothing doing. Hack over the top as it goes back a bit, crowd wants a whistle, a break is on, into the area and defended out by NY. Hack holds too long and it is blocked deep in the NY end, he recovers and gets it forward. NY moves with a number of passes, none really penetrating as they cross the field again, now for Choupo-Botin he drops for Stroud his shot, blocked by the sliding defender to the GK. Dylan Nealis with a 30 yard run, runs out of real estate, back it comes and the defense plays it out of touch. NY with a GK clearance lost, but get the 2nd ball and go back with it. Stroud and another out of NJ, Edelman on the ball, Stroud for Choupo-Moting, he finds Gjengaar and a good save is made. NY finding space well as Forsberg takes it on the wing and gives to Sean Nealis, the defense holds the ball and now give away about 75 yards to the Gk. Forsberg a give and go then it goes to Choupo-Moting, back to Emil and Stroud goes wide to Eile who leaves for Dylan and now the back line has it over the top a pair or players in the same space, NY recovers, winning it back at the top of the circle, Dylan wins a throw near the corner mark. Sean misses his target, NY cannot hold it Hack stops a promising ball forward out for a throw. Foul on Stroud, he takes issue with it. Freeman drops to his player and now it goes to the other side of the field. Orlando with a few passes hold it, Atuesta is upended. Ojeda into the area headed out and Freeman just cannot get around his defender, NY throw deep in their end. Dylan beaten on the wing, Forsberg looks to get forward and Gerbet fouls him, holding his arm to prevent him from getting going. 15’ minutes in and NY has held the ball well, if you have it, they cannot score, but you should at least get good looks on goal, they go back a lot with it. A long ball lost for Orlando. Orlando over the top and the touchline. Just beyond the area and it is 1-0 Orlando from Ojeda a great unmolested run. Just a ball picked up at half field but a tracking run won’t get it done and he was then off to the races, find an error by the opposition and make them pay a recipe for success. There are few players in the league you may give a 40 yard run on goal and not put it home. A ball forward to not a soul. NY again hold near midfield, now getting forward and Choupo-Moting sails it. Gjengaar has his first tough betray him as it goes to the touchline and taken away. A forty yard ball in the air for NY then sent in and the GK grabs it up. Now Ojeda is met by three and turned back, yet Orlando holds it. Eile with a block in the area, Orlando still dangerous with it, Schlegel clears it then a NY midfielder for NY gets a call.
On the wing Dylan seeks out Gjengaar, he was covered but NY wins a throw and they give up 30 yards, Crowd wants a PK as Choupo-Moting stays down. Stroud tries to beat a trio in the area gets fouled, as that play developed, Cangelosi stated VAR was in play, possibly x2? Very interesting is that none may watch the monitor that the center watches, yet Apple transmits it so they have it at the bench as well? PK is called at 28’,Jansson not happy for Olando. The fouled player steps up to take it, the shot goes left, GK guesses right but it powers past to the corner. The first goal for MLS is now his, Choupo-Moting. At half an hour we are at the same point as half an hour ago, tied, NY started off far better. Muriel sends Sean on a roll and minus a shoe. Eile with a great sliding tackle to turn back the Lions. Edleman taken down at the end line, gives a corner. Near the penalty mark ,headed out over the bar for a goal kick. With a Peruvian in goal for the opposition why does the South Ward have an Alianza Peru top there? The Orlando back stop had some time on loan there. Gallese out of his area, it runs the line of the area to the end line and he dives onto the ball now holding his ankle. He fell on it before the ball left the field. Another player unmarked who was 100% on goes in on gal and tucks it away 40’. There is no reason for either goal to have been scored, the player was simply, open, Pasalic has one. Forsberg is high with his effort. Stroud has his first touch go far too ahead of him. Jansson not happy with Choupo-Moting. A lead ball called off, but he was in until the turf monster took out his feet. Extra time will be 7’. A dummy goes to a blue shirt and here come Orlando, Freeman, his dad a past NFL star has it. Freeman with a show of skill in bringing the ball down does not hold it. Hack for Gjengaar too short, he had a pair on him and NY recovers it. A give and go with Dylan a Choupo-Moting is lost Forsberg, to Edwards it is lost as Stroud does an overlap. Stroud upended and the ref indicated no more to Autesta. Hack over the top Gallese gets it sends it forward as it is lost and to the NY GK. Edwards somehow gets it past a trio and then forward but the pass was errant. Forsberg and Choup-Moting who just seeks to redirct and flick it on to goal, it goes out for a corner. Emil finds his player, Dylan gets it back Gjengaar with a rocket, blocked, halftime.
Ojeda again gets a pass he has the angle, Carlos take it away, Gjengaar down the line and into the 6 for the GK. Forsberg wins a ball just beyond the area, Edwards who lays it off to Stroud now into the area off the thigh of Gjengaar and it is tied. This was a bang bang play, but a basic one end line to the 6. Ojeda all over Eile and gets called for it. A great take over the NY on the wing, finds the player open in the middle of the field he goes wide into traffic with his pass. Forsberg fouled but a late call, to be taken just at the bottom of the circle to the far touchline. Emil with some space, over the top for Edwards and it is wide, those must be finished. The defender played it to the feet of Edwards, again an error must be punished, this was on a silver platter. Nealis and Choupo-Moting combine, the left footed effort by Dylan did not have enough on it, perhaps it should have been left to the onrushing RBNY player. Nealis on the ball a good 5 times now as NY holds in their offensive third, the last, a ball in by Nealis played out. NY recovers, who else but Nealis is on the receiving end, his ball into the 6, not a soul there. This ball into the 6 is all but a set piece, in every game plan, not the case of the ball not dictating the run, that is to be the run. Well too long for Forsberg. Choupo-Moting wins a ball just beyond the area for Forsberg, ball lost, and Orlando is at the top of the NY area now in it for Freeman and out. He lays it off and it gets lost then recovered before leaving their offensive third. Choupo –Moting beats a pair for Forsberg to Dylan, he sends it in, played back to Forsberg and again it bounces around, NY wins a deeper throw and go into their half. Again to their half, get forward backfield again for Red Bull. NY with a throw to Gjengaar, he cannot hold it a throw for Orlando just below the circle, Forsberg gets it now far back for NY. Edwards rides off a player in the area does go down, remains, now play is stopped. Concern of a back injury, yet he holds his hip. There was contact, not a foul and he went down, more than likely the pain is due to the impact with the ground. Orlando again with a shot by Pasalic, wide at the far post. City with a corner at 64’, NY heads clear twice City again and Pasalic with a low far post shot brings Coronel to full extension the camera shows it was in fact on target. Atuesta with a lead ball for Jansson but the GK steps up and gobbles it up. City holding better and getting chances this is not good, Ojeda is just wide on a great taken shot. That shot was the result of the defense not being able to clear the ball out. Stroud cautioned at 68’, he spun the player around in front of the center that had to be called and also for having been called for so many others. Anguelo for Muriel and the newly subbed on City player wins a corner. He came on for Ojeda, it is a tight game not so sure he would have been my sub as he has been rather active on the offensive end of the game. Carballo awaits entry for NY. Too many open players for Orlando and Jansson with a poor pass and Gjengaar has a break, his shot just beyond the area as the GK is well out saved to the near post and a goal kick, Jansson argues it? Choupo-Moting may have been open on the other side, the camera angle did not allow for that to be seen. Forsberg picks out Nealis, he has been headed and now Sean and Jasson are involved, the Orlando player is also down. Sean is cautioned. Hall also is due in. VAR is looking at a possible red card, to Sean? Stroud out as he was on a caution and Dylan is out for Hall. No red card, it was shown a bit on camera, a whole lot of nothing. Muriel wants a handball call in the area, not yet. NY was getting forward now stalled. Hall to Gjengaar a smart ball Carballo on it a few times and back to the NY half, it is tied at home with less than 15’ to go, get forward. Too much for Choupo-Moting and into the area Orlando has it, NY recovers and now an Orlando throw. Anguelo open gets a 30 yard pass on the ground no less. Choupo-Boating called for a foul with the ball. The ball is doing a lot of just bouncing around here, just missed for a pick off by Choupo-Moting. Carballo with a great sliding tackle, textbook quality. Edelman end line and back to Gjengaar, Carballo from 40, goes about 30 high as Jansson takes a yellow, he has been jawing or quite some time. Enrique & Santos on for Orlando. Atuesta leaves limping. Over the top for Choupo-Moting and the defense plays it out of touch. Some nice ball movement from Forsberg and Gjengaar but the last touch is out, Hack over the top, won by Santos. Gjengaar to Choupu-Moting, Hall into the area for Forsberg and Edwards in the same space, nothing happens then a great look at goal by Gjengaar is denied by the post, Edward, not able to get on the end of that rebound. Hack with a good slide tackle goes out of play and both sides sub. Muriel out for McGuire who had been out with a shoulder injury. Gjengaar out for NY and Ngoma. Elie for Choupo-Moting read so well by Gallese. Orlando with a few forays into the area and they get a corner. Headed over the top. Extra time in the amount of 6’ has been awarded. Ngoma cautioned, he took the defender off his feet with a last ditch effort. McGuire for Enrique, turned away by Coronel, what a great last minute chance for the visitors to go up by one in extra time. A missed tackle has McGuire in front, he lays it off gets it back off the rebound from the Santos shot, a first time shot needed, he takes a second and again Coronel saves the day. Long DFK headed on but into the hands of Carlos. Freeman beats a trio in the area then has it taken away, Orlando back on the ball fo4 McGuire, near midfield now with Jasson. Atuesta for Santos, Ngoma partially blocks it for a corner. First time rocket by Schlegel rides high and we are done, it’s a tie.
NY lost the game on their errors, yet the talking heads feel it was a fair result? Jasson still chirping now next to the ref. Muriel the player of the match has his highlights shown, so many times just not covered, not accounted for and it was well played by both?