Photo by ISIphotos.com
If there were a crisis prevention hot-line for New York Red Bulls fans (and let's face it, there should be one after 13 years of agony), the phones would be ringing off the hook after Sunday's embarrassing late-game meltdown. The Red Bulls were winning 2-1, in complete control, then they let up and D.C. United made them pay.
This type of late-game collapse is hardly new in the annals of club history, but that doesn't make it any less mind-boggling to watch. The defeat wasn't about Juan Carlos Osorio's substitutions or tactical changes, and certainly not about lineup rotations. Sunday's loss was about players relaxing when they couldn't afford to, and taking a win for granted when they shouldn't have.
Sunday's loss was about Alfredo Pacheco falling asleep long enough to let Luciano Emilio streak past him in the penalty area for a clear header equalizer. It was also about communication breakdown between Pacheco and goalkeeper Jon Conway that allowed Chris Pontius to pounce and finish off the most unlikely of game winners.
Another three points dropped, another punch in the gut and another game to leave Red Bulls fans wondering what they ever did to deserve this revolving door of disappointment.
Is it really ready to write the season off in April? Do I really need to remind people that some of the team's worst starts to the season have resulted in some of the best years, while some of the best starts have led to bitter disappointment? That aside, the late-game failings of the start of this season could prove much more costly than the slow starts of year's past.
Why? The league has 15 teams now, not 10 or 12 like years past. That means seven teams won't make the playoffs, which means the Red Bulls have to finish better than seven teams to reach the post-season. Right now the Red Bulls have more points than exactly three teams and have given away five, count them, five valuable points in last-minute results vs. New England and D.C. United.
Sunday's loss is the most tough result to take because the Red Bulls had played some of the best attacking soccer of the year for a good 25 minute stretch in the second half. That stretch led to two goals, a lead and hope for a crucial home victory. At least before the team fell asleep with time still left on the clock.
D.C. United's comeback didn't begin with Emilio's equalizing header in the 90th minute. It began when the Red Bulls were toying with D.C., up 2-1 and seemingly unconcerned with the necessity for a third goal. Players started holding the ball more, dancing with the ball more and not doing the things that gave the Red Bulls the lead in the first place.
That subtle arrogance surely lit a fire under D.C. United, which never stopped trying to get the road result, so while the Red Bulls was practically moon-walking to the finish line, D.C. was racing and pushing hard and putting itself into position for the shock comeback.
Does this mean the season is lost and Red Bulls fans should start saving their money for 2010? Not quite. Easily forgotten in the midst of the loss was the great performances by Mac Kandji and Jorge Rojas, as well as yet another solid showing from Kevin Goldthwaite, not to mention Juan Pablo Angel scoring and setting up another. Yes, there were alarming performances, particularly by Alfredo Pacheco, as well as the frustrating displays by Dom Oduro and Khano Smith, but the Red Bulls showed signs in the second half of being the dangerous attacking side they were supposed to be when the season began.
When the dust settles from Sunday's loss, the Red Bulls will look to an MLS schedule that features three upcoming matches against teams with the same points or fewer than they have, as well as a month of May that features four straight home games. The Red Bulls very well could turn things around, but the reality is that they aren't going to beat anybody delivering incomplete performances like the one they gave on Sunday.
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What did you think of the Red Bulls' late-game collapse? Are you a Red Bulls fan who has written off the season? Are you one of the few who still has some hope? Are you a DC fan loving New York's misery?
Share your thoughts below.
