MONTCLAIR, N.J. – Things have gone from bad to worse for Red Bulls II.
Not only did they lose their third consecutive game, they did it at home and they squandered a one-goal lead in the final three minutes.
It resulted in a 4-3 defeat to Ottawa Fury FC at MSU Soccer Park Saturday.
Michael Salazar, on loan from the Montreal Impact, scored in the 87th minute to equalize and second-half substitute Ryan Williams converted a penalty kick for the game-winner in the 90th minute to turn the game upside down.
“We just need better performances,” NYRB II head coach John Wolyniec said. “We need guys to play better, that’s really the only easy answer. [There are] just too many easy goals.”
Midfielder Dan Metzger agreed.
“It was just little mental lapses that we’ve had these couple of games that are letting us down as a team,” he said. “We are giving up big moments that are leading to goals so [that’s] something we got to work on.”
Ottawa struck first in the 14th minute as goalkeeper Evan Louro nearly made a double save to deny Tucker Hume, but it wasn’t enough.
New York responded three minutes later as Brandon Allen caught keeper Callum Irving off his line on a 50-50 ball and passed it off to Junior Flemmings, who knocked it into an open net.
Red Bulls Academy player Ben Mines, who came on as a first-half substitute, nearly made an impact just before halftime with a diving header that was saved.
Ottawa regained the lead in the 51st minute, as Sito Seoane sent a lofting shot over Louro’s head.
Vincent Bezecourt drew a penalty kick as Allen equalized again. Red Bulls II took the lead in the 69th minute off Mines’ header, his first goal of the season.
Pressing for an equalizer, Seaone fired a 20-yard shot that was parried away by Louro, but into the path of Salazar who netted his first goal since joining Ottawa on loan from Montreal for a 3-3 deadlock.
As the clocked neared 90 minutes, Hume found space behind the defense and as he penetrated into the box and was brought down. Williams, who replaced Sergio Manesio in the 73rd minute, made no mistake and buried his second of the season from the penalty spot.
“I think we kind of lack concentration the last 10 minutes,” Flemmings said. “There were times when [Red Bulls] coach Jesse Marsch would usually preach that these are the moments where you got to be tough and be mentally strong, got to be ready because most goals in game they scored came in the first five, 10 minutes of the half and the last 10 minutes of the game so we got to do a better job of concentrating, especially when we are leading at home.”
NYRB II will have an opportunity to get it right as they host the Charleston Battery at MSU Soccer Park next Sunday at 2 p.m.
Scoring summary:
New York: Flemmings 20′ Allen 56′ Mines 69′
Ottawa: Hume 14′ Seoane 51′ Salazar 87′ Williams 90′
Discipline:
New York: Flemmings 68′ Abidor 89′
Ottawa: Edward 17′ Manesio 36′ McEleney 66′
New York: Louro; Najem, Abidor, Bilyeu, O’Toole (Tim Schmoll, 31st minute); Metzger, Basuljevic; Lewis (Ben Mines, 39th minute), Bezecourt, Flemmings (Kazu Shigenobu, 84th minute); Allen
Ottawa: Irving; Edward, McEleney, Obasi; Manesio (Ryan Williams, 74th minute), Rozeboom, Dixon, Campbell; Salazar (Aron Mkungilwa, 90th minute), Seoane (Jonathan Barden, 90th minute), Hume
