Luquinhas (82) plays the ball against D.C. United midfielder Chris Durkin (8) during the first half . (Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports)

By Michael Lewis

FrontRowSoccer.com Editor

Finally, finally, the Red Bulls won a home game this MLS season on Saturday night.

And it took a Brazilian midfielder to boost them into the win column.

Luquinhas bagged a brace within a four-minute span in the second half to lift the Red Bulls to a 4-1 triumph over D.C. United at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J.

“This guy so good,” Red Bulls captain Aaron Long said on MSG Network. “I think I feel like the league’s not giving him the credit he deserves right now. He’s putting on some amazing performances week in week out. It’s good for him to get some some goals and some amazing goals at that. He is so good. What a signing.”

It was the Red Bulls’ first home win seven RBA matches into the season as they entered the game at 0-2-4 in what has been a fortress since the stadium was opened in 2010. It also tied the team’s single-game scoring output this season. The Red Bulls put four into the net at Toronto FC.

The win improved New York to 6-3-5 while D.C. fell to 4-7-2.

“It feels good,” Long said about the Red Bulls finally winning at home. “There’s been a lot of pressure leading up to this game. Going into the international break, we really wanted to win for the fans here at home. So scoring four goals, putting on a little bit of a show with with some of these amazing goals, these guys scored, it feels good.”

John Tolkin agreed.

“The timing was was perfect,” he said. “Now we can go on and reflect and be fresh for the next few games. But more importantly to get our first one at home. I think that’s just amazing for us. It’s amazing for the fan base. We’re going t have a whole lot of momentum going into these next games.”

New York next plays against Charlotte FC on June 11 after the international break.

“I think we deserve this today,” head coach Gerhard Struber said. “On the highest level, we dominated the game from the first second in the first half and in the second half. We created also, on ball more moments with overload with high combinations. This was in the end too much speeding passes for D.C.

“I think a very good feeling not only for myself also for my boys. We have a outstanding mood now in the dressing room.The boys celebrated. I think we are very close to be on the peak in the table. We are the quarterfinals in the Open Cup. The process is working. We improved [on] so many things. Yeah, very good feeling.”

The Red Bulls had the ball in the final third more than D.C. did in the opening 45 minutes, but really could not do anything dangerous – ie. getting a shot on goal.

At halftime, Long was replaced by Omir Fernandes. Long, a center back who was called into the U.S. men’s national team for the June international window, reportedly was not injured.

After a rather mediocre first half, the action revved up in the second half.

“The second half, you can see how many players they try and take responsibility,” Struber said. “This is always a signal they are ready to hear to take ownership and this is what we want.”

In the 53rd minute, United’s Julian Gressel tried to round goalkeeper Carlos Coronel, who was caught off his life. Gressel, however, shot wide right.

Only a minute later, the game changed – dramatically.

The Red Bulls’ Lewis Morgan’s hard shot was headed off the line by a D.C. field player. Goalkeeper Joe Willis then made a two-handed save on Frankie Amaya’s attempt. The rebound came to Luquinhas, who ripped a shot from the penalty spot to boost the hosts into the lead.

Luquinhas was far from finished. He produced a golazo in the 58th minute. After a corner kick, Luquinhas volleyed home a shot while sliding as the Red Bulls grabbed a 2-0 lead.

Morgan got into the act as well, volleying the ball home from distance for his team-leading sixth goal of the year in the 64th minute and a three-goal bulge.

“We played forward,” Long said. “We had a high aggression and we scored some goals. We didn’t allow much today. I think a shutout would have been a cherry on top. We didn’t get that but again, it was a really great performance for the boys.”

With his team enjoying a comfortable lead, Struber decided to give Luquinhas a well-deserved rest, replacing him with Dru Yearwood in the 70th minute.

United spoiled Coronel’s shutout bid with an 88th-minute score by Ola Kamara, who took the team lead with his sixth goal of the season.

Two minutes later, the Red Bulls got one back as Tom Barlow set up an own goal off a pass from second-half sub Caden Clark. Barlow smacked a shot off the crossbar that deflected into the net by United defender Jose Alfaro.

After seemingly playing three games in a week for the longest time, Struber was ready for the international break.

“It’s good when we relax some days and then we come back,” he said. “We have a big mission. I think especially the last games they showed us how ready we are and when we have the right attitude and the right mentality. It’s not so easy to beat us. I think we have to stay humble, give everything and, and score goals and celebrate maybe [more] times.”

 

FrontRowSoccer.com editor Michael Lewis has written a new book, ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. You can learn more about it or purchase it here:

www.Rochesterlancersbook.com

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.