Red Bulls' rally falls short in Toronto

Despite posting first road goal of season, New York loses to TFC

Juan Pablo Angel (front) assisted on New York's lone goal Saturday night.  (AP)

They did not do a very good job of it early on, putting themselves into a difficult spot and even some industrious play later in the match could not undo it, falling 2-1 on Saturday evening at BMO Field.

New York spotted Toronto a goal in the first three minutes of the first half and found themselves in a deeper hole late in the half, down 2-0, and well on the way to establishing a league-record 20 consecutive regular-season away games without winning.

The Red Bulls came to Toronto having equaled Real Salt Lake's record of 19 regular-season away games without a win. The Red Bulls came onto the artificial turf of BMO Field at 0-13-6 in their previous 19 away matches during the regular season.

Adding to the indignity is that the Red Bulls had not scored this season on the road where they were 0-6-1 and had conceded 12 entering the contest. New York at least managed an away goal, the first in the MLS by midfielder Albert Celades in the 54th minute.

Offensively challenged Toronto FC got on the board in the third minute on a disputed penalty when Sam Cronin put home the rebound off Amado Guevara's kick from the spot. Danny Cepero made the save on Guevara, a feat in itself, but Cronin, a rookie midfielder, deftly pounced on the rebound to make it 1-0.

The Red Bulls complained about the call to referee Jair Marrufo to no avail.

Cepero was again in on the action when he came out to grab a corner kick by Guevara, who played for New York, in the 17th minute.

Cepero was again there in the 34th minute on a dangerous header by fan favourite Danny Dichio on a pass from Guevara, who had just returned from international duty with Honduras.

Dichio was playing as the loan striker but it was TFC making most of the chances as the first half wore on, with only the occasional foray from the Red Bulls.

But one of them in the 38th minute nearly gave the Red Bulls a goal as Celades put a shot wide after a build-up that went Macoumba Kandji to Juan Pablo Angel to Celades.

Then it only got worse for the Red Bulls when TFC went ahead 2-0 in the 43rd minute on Dichio's goal after Cepero was left alone to deal with Pablo Vitti. Cepero was up to that task, ranging far out of the goal, but Dichio was on the rebound with no New York defenders offering assistance to their stranded 'keeper and he launched a shot from outside the penalty area into the empty goal.

New York applied some pressure late in the first half and Angel's shot was knocked away by a defender but nothing resulted from the corner.

TFC had both yellow cards in the first half, both for reckless fouls -- Carl Robinson in the 33rd minute and Adrian Serioux in the 44th.

The Red Bulls came out a little more sprightly in the second half, buzzing around the Toronto goal and coming close in the 52nd. Newly acquired defender Nick Garcia cleared one attempt, already proving his worth to shoring up a leaky back line.

But the Red Bulls pressure paid off when Celades scored his first MLS goal in the 54th minute. The ball was saved from going over the endline and hooked back into the area, where Juan Pablo Angel laid it off for Celades to control and stroke into the lower left corner.

New York picked up the pace and began to win the ball as TFC began to stagger and uncertainty crept into their game. But Toronto began to pick it up again and twice in rapid succession in the 66th minute Cepero was called upon, tipping a shot from Kevin Harmse over the bar and turning aside a shot from Serioux after the corner.

Cepero again was a rock on Dwayne De Rosario's free kick from the left side edge of the penalty area in the 71st minute.

In the 75th minute just after New York put a ball in the goal on a play that was called offside, John Wolyniec was subbed for Alfredo Pacheco who had just returned from international duty with El Salvador.

In the 76th minute Kandji tested Toronto goalkeeper Stefan Frei with a hard shot from long range.

Saturday's game had been rescheduled from Aug. 9 because Toronto FC scheduled a friendly with Spanish power Real Madrid for Aug. 7. That makes a quirk in the schedule because the Red Bulls will be back in Toronto on June 24, the next league match for the Reds. New York plays host to Seattle Sounders FC next Saturday at Giants Stadium.

Larry Millson is a contributor to MLSnet.com

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