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W Connection Advance as Red Bulls Complete Season Collapse
Two first half goals from W Connection playmaker Andre Toussaint proved too much for the New York Red Bulls to overcome, despite the Red Bulls taking the early lead through veteran forward John Wolyniec.
Aug 6, 2009 12:07:49 AM
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.--Both teams had everything to play for on a warm summer night in New Jersey, but it was the underdogs from Trinidad who did enough to punch their tickets to the group stage of the CONCACAF Champions League.
In the last meaningful game of the year for the Red Bulls, Juan Carlos Osorio was without his star striker and captain, Juan Pablo Angel, who suffered a concussion in the first leg. The loss is especially painful for the MLS’s worst team and Osorio and sporting director Jeff Agoos may very well find themselves unemployed by the week’s end.
W Connection eliminated its defensive mistakes from the first leg and played confidently, despite competing without star player Fana Frias. After a 2-2 draw in the first leg, W Connection knew that an out and out win was their best chance of advancing and they showed courage by playing an open counter-attacking style.
First Half
A very small crowd arrived to cheer on its home town Red Bulls and it appeared those dedicated few might be rewarded as New York dominated most of the first half. New signing Ernst Oebster looked dangerous on the left wing, earning a free kick in the 14th minute. Albert Celades’ exquisite cross reached John Wolyniec cleanly, but his header went just over the cross bar.
New York worked a great passing move to open the scoring in the 19th minute as Jorge Rojas played the ball forward to Oebster, who deftly touched the ball back to Rojas. Rojas moved forward through the middle before playing in a weighted lead pass to Wolyniec, who had made a right to left run behind the W Connection defense. Wolyniec wasted no time with his chance as he fired a low left-footed shot past Marvin Phillip into the far side of the goal.
Jeremy Hall provided a great opportunity for the Red Bulls in the 31st minute as he came forward from right back and hit a lofted cross to the back post. Wolyniec was unable to reach the ball as it fell sharply, but Rojas met it on the bounce with his left foot and was superbly denied by a reaction save from Phillip.
W Connection looked out of place with almost no possession and minimal chances on goal despite several counter-attacking opportunities. The W Connection coaching staff responded by throwing on a second striker, Matthew Batholomew, in the 37th minute, and the move paid off quickly as it sparked the W Connection attack.
Two minutes after the substitution, Andre Toussaint showed his individual skill on a counter-attack. After unbalancing Seth Stammler, he worked his way into the box and fired a low left-footed shot through Stammler’s legs, past Cepero and into the far side-netting.
The equalizing goal opened up the game considerably, as W Connection had much more confidence in attack and New York’s notoriously frail defense became unhinged. Toussaint struck again in the 44th minute, after Mike Petke was forced across to cover the left side of the Red Bulls defense. Upon winning the ball, Petke passed the ball to Goldthwaite, who was immediately put under pressure and coughed up the ball to Toussaint at the top of the box. Toussaint took a long touch away to his right and drilled the ball between Cepero and his near post to give W Connection the 2-1 lead.
Second Half
W Connection picked up where it left off. After several weak crosses, a long switch from the right found Hughtun Hector on the left wing. Hector took the ball on his chest and advanced back across the top of the box past Jeremy Hall before letting loose a blistering shot towards the near upper corner, but Cepero rose to slap the ball out for a corner.
W Connection almost struck again in the 54th minute, as midfielder Clyde Leon played a vertical ball to Andre Toussaint, who received it with his back to goal, turned and played in his strike partner, Bartholomew. Bartholomew took his shot quickly, but it was smothered by Cepero.
In the 62nd minute, Celades almost redeemed the Red Bulls. Oebster created space on the left, cut inside, and laid the ball off to Celades, who hit a curling first time shot from 25 yards out, but Phillip dove to his left and knocked the ball out for a corner.
As the game wore on, W Connection’s confidence grew and it maintained a much larger share of possession.The Red Bulls lacked intensity until the last ten minutes, but, despite constant pressure late, W Connection kept their shape and their cool, preventing New York from creating any dangerous shots on goal and nearly adding to their own lead.
Terence Steed is the New York correspondent for Goal.com
Will you be there when history is made? Get U.S.-Mexico Azteca tickets now.
In the last meaningful game of the year for the Red Bulls, Juan Carlos Osorio was without his star striker and captain, Juan Pablo Angel, who suffered a concussion in the first leg. The loss is especially painful for the MLS’s worst team and Osorio and sporting director Jeff Agoos may very well find themselves unemployed by the week’s end.
W Connection eliminated its defensive mistakes from the first leg and played confidently, despite competing without star player Fana Frias. After a 2-2 draw in the first leg, W Connection knew that an out and out win was their best chance of advancing and they showed courage by playing an open counter-attacking style.
First Half
A very small crowd arrived to cheer on its home town Red Bulls and it appeared those dedicated few might be rewarded as New York dominated most of the first half. New signing Ernst Oebster looked dangerous on the left wing, earning a free kick in the 14th minute. Albert Celades’ exquisite cross reached John Wolyniec cleanly, but his header went just over the cross bar.
New York worked a great passing move to open the scoring in the 19th minute as Jorge Rojas played the ball forward to Oebster, who deftly touched the ball back to Rojas. Rojas moved forward through the middle before playing in a weighted lead pass to Wolyniec, who had made a right to left run behind the W Connection defense. Wolyniec wasted no time with his chance as he fired a low left-footed shot past Marvin Phillip into the far side of the goal.
Jeremy Hall provided a great opportunity for the Red Bulls in the 31st minute as he came forward from right back and hit a lofted cross to the back post. Wolyniec was unable to reach the ball as it fell sharply, but Rojas met it on the bounce with his left foot and was superbly denied by a reaction save from Phillip.
W Connection looked out of place with almost no possession and minimal chances on goal despite several counter-attacking opportunities. The W Connection coaching staff responded by throwing on a second striker, Matthew Batholomew, in the 37th minute, and the move paid off quickly as it sparked the W Connection attack.
Two minutes after the substitution, Andre Toussaint showed his individual skill on a counter-attack. After unbalancing Seth Stammler, he worked his way into the box and fired a low left-footed shot through Stammler’s legs, past Cepero and into the far side-netting.
The equalizing goal opened up the game considerably, as W Connection had much more confidence in attack and New York’s notoriously frail defense became unhinged. Toussaint struck again in the 44th minute, after Mike Petke was forced across to cover the left side of the Red Bulls defense. Upon winning the ball, Petke passed the ball to Goldthwaite, who was immediately put under pressure and coughed up the ball to Toussaint at the top of the box. Toussaint took a long touch away to his right and drilled the ball between Cepero and his near post to give W Connection the 2-1 lead.
Second Half
W Connection picked up where it left off. After several weak crosses, a long switch from the right found Hughtun Hector on the left wing. Hector took the ball on his chest and advanced back across the top of the box past Jeremy Hall before letting loose a blistering shot towards the near upper corner, but Cepero rose to slap the ball out for a corner.
W Connection almost struck again in the 54th minute, as midfielder Clyde Leon played a vertical ball to Andre Toussaint, who received it with his back to goal, turned and played in his strike partner, Bartholomew. Bartholomew took his shot quickly, but it was smothered by Cepero.
In the 62nd minute, Celades almost redeemed the Red Bulls. Oebster created space on the left, cut inside, and laid the ball off to Celades, who hit a curling first time shot from 25 yards out, but Phillip dove to his left and knocked the ball out for a corner.
As the game wore on, W Connection’s confidence grew and it maintained a much larger share of possession.The Red Bulls lacked intensity until the last ten minutes, but, despite constant pressure late, W Connection kept their shape and their cool, preventing New York from creating any dangerous shots on goal and nearly adding to their own lead.
Terence Steed is the New York correspondent for Goal.com
Will you be there when history is made? Get U.S.-Mexico Azteca tickets now.
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