Red Bulls Show Championship Mentality, Overcoming 3-0 Deficit to Deny Columbus Repeat
Unlikely comeback and an equally improbable save earn New York Red Bulls a point
New York City - June 18, 2023:
In a match they had no business winning, the New York Red Bulls dug deep and pulled off a miraculous comeback at home against the Columbus Crew. At the end of a roller-coaster match, they managed to secure a much-needed point in their quest for a playoff berth.
The match started in the worst possible way for the Red Bulls as the Crew raced into a three-goal lead in the first half. Cucho Hernandez opened the scoring for the visitors in the 10th minute before Lucas Zelarayan doubled their advantage with a penalty in the 28th minute. Just six minutes later, Zelarayan turned provider, setting up Hernandez for his second of the game.
The Red Bulls looked out of sorts for much of the half, but they managed to pull a goal back just before the break through Lewis Morgan, giving them a small glimmer of hope heading into the second half.
The deficit felt too great to overcome, but Gerhard Struber refused to give up inspiring his team with a passioned half-time team talk. The Red Bulls came out with renewed belief after the break and pulled another goal back through Patryk Klimala in the 52nd minute.
Despite throwing everything at the Columbus goal, they could not find an equalizer until the very last minute when Dru Yearwood bundled home from close range. The goal was met with wild celebrations from the Red Bulls players and fans alike.
In the dying moments of the game, the Red Bulls defense was called into action one last time as Zelarayan lined up a free-kick from just outside the area. However, Coronel came up with a stunning save, palming the ball away to preserve the point for the home side.
The comeback was the Red Bulls' biggest in MLS history and keeps their playoff hopes alive. After the match Struber praised his team's spirit, saying, "The season is not over. We have shown today that we have the character and quality to overcome any obstacle. We will keep fighting until the very end."
