ANALYSIS – In just their third regular season meeting in league history, the New York Red Bulls shared points with Charlotte FC at Bank of America Stadium. This hard-fought draw offered plenty to ponder. Here’s what was learned about Charlotte FC and the Red Bulls battle to share points in Charlotte.
Three Takeaways from Charlotte FC 1-1 New York Red Bulls
We Are Strong
From the opening whistle, both teams brought the fight. Riding their respective wins from the week before, it was clear that losing was not an option. The result was a rough and chippy match. Both teams found themselves in the referee’s book multiple times during their match, and VAR pondered red cards more than once.
Charlotte FC has picked up sixteen yellow cards so far this season, and the Red Bulls twelve. Captain Sean Nealis commented on the physicality after the match: “[W]e expected a physical battle and it was one and we felt that it was a good game.”
Heartache To Heartache
A giveaway by Charlotte defender Nathan Byrne allowed Brazilian attacker Elias Manoel to open his account for the 2023 campaign. Picking up where he left off, his brace in the final regular season match last season was also against Charlotte.
Not only did Manoel claim the ball, but he absolutely bodied Byrne to make the shot. Blasting the ball past goalkeeper George Marks, the goal marked the first time the Red Bulls opened the scoring in a match this season. This is probably what makes the second-half leveler more painful.
@Eliasmanoel_
— New York Red Bulls (@NewYorkRedBulls) March 26, 2023
READ MORE: Red Bulls Look to Reclaim Road Warrior Status Against Charlotte
Fans have a name for the player who puts the ball in the wrong net: Ow[e]n Goal. This time, it was RBNY defender Andres Reyes who made the error. Sliding into the ball in an effort to keep it away from Charlotte striker Enzo Copetti, Reyes guided it into the net before goalkeeper Carlos Coronel could grab it. Devastating in the moment, no player should allow it to weigh on them. Major League Soccer is averaging one own goal per matchday; this won’t be the last one.
No One Can Tell Us We’re Wrong
The Red Bulls fell to 11th place in the Eastern Conference following Matchday Five. The team clearly misses the likes of Lewis Morgan and Christian Casseres, Jr. Manager Gerhard Struber identified the change following the halftime break:
“We lost our focus and our concentration in shifting moments,” he explained in the post-match presser. With the team headed to Mercedes-Benz Arena next week for a matchup against a smarting Atlanta United, New York has to work on their mental stamina as much as their physical strength going into another hostile environment.
READ MORE: Dante Vanzeir’s First Goal Seals Red Bull Win
Red Bulls Battle to Share Points with Charlotte FC
The Red Bulls battle to share points with Charlotte FC at the Bank of America Stadium. Now, both teams will be travelling next Saturday for their selected MLS games. NY Red Bulls will play in Atlanta on Saturday while Charlotte FC will travel to Toronto on the same day. Both games will be shown live on Apple TV and kick-off at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Photo Credit: Griffin Zetterberg-USA TODAY Sports on March 25, 2023.
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