In season finale, Red Bulls give their best
New York closes its Giants Stadium era with five-goal thrashing
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"We understand that the season was disappointing and over the last eight games," Red Bulls interim coach Richie Williams said. "We were just trying to show everybody that maybe we're not the best team in the league, but we're not as bad as our record and our point total was early on."
In March, the Red Bulls will raise the curtain on Red Bull Arena, a 25,000-seat gem in Harrison, N.J. And while Mother Nature didn't cooperate, forcing a 16-minute kickoff delay because of thunder and lightning, the Red Bulls saved their best performance of the season for the last soccer game played at Giants Stadium.
"I wish we had this performance throughout the whole season," Mac Kandji said. "But I was very happy to finish out on a good note, and definitely happy to knock a team out of the playoffs since we're not in the playoffs."
Kandji played a big part in the Red Bulls' biggest offensive explosion of the season, scoring two goals, including the opener two minutes into the match, and setting up the first of Juan Pablo Angel's two. Kandji, who was taken down from behind in the box by Adrian Serioux, also had an unofficial assist on Matthew Mbuta's penalty kick in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time.
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"Matthew hadn't scored a goal this season so I just let him take it," Kandji said. "But after I let him take it, I kind of regretted it because I should have taken it and got my first hat trick."
Angel capped his third season in MLS with 13 goals, tying him for third on the league's goal scoring list at the end of the night. He blew past Adrian Serioux with a sublime first touch and then deftly scored low to Edwards' left to put the Red Bulls up 2-0 in the 33rd minute and struck from an acute angle in the 62nd minute.
"I said it before, I will sacrifice all my goals to have a better season this year," the Red Bulls captain said. "I'm not extremely disappointed with my goal total this year. It wasn't as good as I expected, but any striker that you talk to would take [double figures] and I'm happy to score as many goals as I did this year."
Angel also took time to thank Albert Celades for his contribution this season. The 34-year-old Spaniard played the final match of his 14-year career on Saturday night. The former Barcelona and Real Madrid midfielder assisted on Kandji's first goal and received a loud ovation from the crowd when he was subbed out in the second minute of stoppage time.
"It was a good day to say goodbye because it was a beautiful game and it was incredible for us," Celades said. "It was nice to say goodbye. When you love the game you're never happy with this situation, but I think it's time to go home and do different things."
Mike Petke, who played more games at Giants Stadium than anyone else in team history, was forced off the field in the ninth minute with a right quadriceps strain.
"I think it's extremely bittersweet because this has been our home since the inception of MLS," the veteran defender said. "We played many games here, even when I was away from New York it was always a joy coming back. However we're looking to move into the best stadium in America and it's going to be unbelievable. While I will have the scars on my knees from the turf to remind me of my time here, it's going to be beautiful to play in Harrison, N.J. next year."
Dylan Butler is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
