Patryk Klimala celebrates his penalty kick. (Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports)

By Michael Lewis
FrontRowSoccer.com Editor

If the Red Bulls fail to reach the MLS Cup Playoffs or wind up in a precarious position in the opening round, they only will have themselves to blame due to their lack of finishing.

Case in point:

Their 1-1 hhome draw with FC Cincinnati at Red Bull Arena on Saturday night.

They managed to overturn a one-goal deficit, but could not put away two shots that could have easily been goals.

Translated: they squandered more points at home, a venue that once was a fortress to the squad, but in many ways has become a chamber of horrors for the team.

The Red Bulls (11-8-8, 41 points), who missed out on an opportunity to move past the idle New York City FC and into third place in the MLS Eastern conference, have won but three times at RBA en route to a 3-5-5 record. In contrast, they are a sterling 8-3-3 on the road.

Patryk Klimala’s first MLS goal in three months – since May 18 – countered a score by former Red Bulls center back Matt Miazga for FC Cincinnati (8-8-10, 34).

Due to the team playing three games within a week, Red Bulls head coach Gerard Struber decided to rest several key veterans at the start – captain and center back Aaron Long and midfielders Lewis Morgan and Luquinhas – before bringing thhem on in the second half.

The Red Bulls will wince when they remember a pair of glorious scoring chances they could have converted, which could have changed the course of the game.

The first opportunity came in the 12th minute, when Cameron Harper botched a 2-on-1 break by sending his shot wide left from the right side.

With the score knotted at 1-1 in the 74th minute, Daniel Edelman sent a 14-yard attempt, off a nice John Tolkin feed from the right side, over the bar.

To be fair, FC Cincy’s Brenner had a golden opportunity to put his team ahead in tthe 87th minute, but his so-so shot was saved by goalkeeper Carlos Coronel.

You might say that Miazga had a say in both first half goals, figuretively and literally.

He lifted Cincy into the lead in the 13th minute when he headed home Alvaro Barreal’s free kick past Coronel one bounce into the lower right corner.

Miazga celebrated by grabbing the ball, putting it under his shirt and putting his thumb into his mouth, imitating a baby sucking it.

The Red Bulls equalized 10 minutes later, but it took four minutes to sort things out for their goal-scoring opportunity to materialize. While battling for the ball high in the box, Junior Moreno knocked down Red Bulls center back Andres Reyes. Referee Ismail Elfath awarded the visitors the ball but before iit could be placed in play, the MLS VAR crew in Atlanta wanted to look at the scenario for a possible penalty kick.

Several minutes later, Elfath signalled a PK for New York.

Patryk Klimala took the ensuing spot kick. Before he attempted his shot, Miazga went up to his opposing forward and shook his hand to wish him good luck. Both players have Polish backgrounds.

Klimala then deposited the ball with a shot up the middle while the goalkeeper dove to the right for a 1-1 deadlock for his fifth MLS goal this season.

While the teams ran back toward the center circle for a kickoff, Miazga congratulated Klimala.

As it turned out, Miazga almost wound up in the middle of another Red Bulls goal when he fouled Klimala in the penalty arc in the 37th minute. Cristian Casseres, Jr.’s free kick, however, was blocked by the FC Cincy wall.

 

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.