Nueva York RB vs Real lago salado: Resumen

New York Red Bulls produced a dramatic comeback to defeat Real Salt Lake 2-1 in a thrilling MLS encounter at Sports Illustrated Stadium on August 10, 2025.

The match began with an early shock for the home fans as Real Salt Lake's Zavier Gozo found the net just three minutes into the game, capitalizing on a well-crafted assist from William Agada. The early goal stunned the Red Bulls, who struggled to find their rhythm in the opening phase despite dominating possession.

However, the second half brought renewed energy from Sandro Schwarz's men. The equalizer came in the 52nd minute when Emil Forsberg delivered a pinpoint cross that Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting expertly converted, bringing the crowd of 18,087 to their feet.

The drama intensified in the later stages with both sides reduced to ten men. RSL's Diego Luna received his marching orders in the 85th minute, followed by RBNY's Kyle Duncan in the 90th. The match seemed destined for a draw until deep into stoppage time when the referee pointed to the penalty spot for a second time in the match. Despite having missed from 12 yards earlier in the 81st minute, Choupo-Moting held his nerve to convert in the 99th minute, securing all three points for the Red Bulls.

The victory moves the Red Bulls up to 15th in the Eastern Conference, boosting their playoff aspirations, while Real Salt Lake remains in 20th position in the Western Conference, continuing their struggle away from home this season.

"I'm incredibly proud of how the team responded after conceding so early. We showed great character to keep pushing and create chances. The penalty miss could have broken our spirit, but the players showed remarkable mental strength to keep going until the very end," said New York Red Bulls coach Sandro Schwarz.

"We executed our game plan perfectly in the early stages and defended resolutely for long periods. Unfortunately, football can be cruel sometimes. The late penalty decision was tough to take, but we must learn from this experience and focus on the positives from our performance," reflected Real Salt Lake coach Pablo Mastroeni.

"It was a rollercoaster of emotions today. Missing the first penalty was difficult, but I knew if another opportunity came, I had to take it. The team showed great character, and these three points could be crucial for our season," shared match-winner Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting.

"The early goal gave us confidence, but we couldn't maintain that level throughout the 90 minutes. Playing with ten men made it even more challenging. We'll regroup and focus on our next match," said RSL's William Agada.

"The Red Bulls demonstrated why they're so formidable at home. Their persistence paid off, and Choupo-Moting's mental strength to convert the second penalty after missing earlier shows the character in this team," commented former MLS striker Taylor Twellman, analyzing the game for broadcast partners.

Possession: New York Red Bulls 63% - 37% Real Salt Lake

Shots: RBNY 24 - 6 RSL

Shots on Target: RBNY 7 - 3 RSL

Corner Kicks: RBNY 5 - 0 RSL

Yellow Cards: RBNY 3 - 4 RSL

Red Cards: RBNY 1 (Kyle Duncan, 90') - 1 (Diego Luna, 85')

Individual Player Statistics:

Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (RBNY): 2 goals, 5 shots on target, 91% pass completion

Emil Forsberg (RBNY): 1 assist, 4 key passes, 87% pass completion

Zavier Gozo (RSL): 1 goal, 1 shot on target, 72% pass completion

William Agada (RSL): 1 assist, 3 successful dribbles, 68% pass completion

Rafael Cabral (RSL): 5 saves, 1 penalty save

Anthony Marcucci (RBNY): 2 saves

Team Comparison:

Passes Completed: RBNY 543 - 258 RSL

Passing Accuracy: RBNY 88% - 73% RSL

Duels Won: RBNY 58% - 42% RSL

The statistics clearly demonstrate New York Red Bulls' dominance in possession and attacking opportunities, creating four times as many shots as their opponents. Despite this control, Real Salt Lake's defensive organization kept them in the contest until the final moments.

3' GOAL! - Real Salt Lake take a surprise early lead. William Agada delivers a clever through ball, finding Zavier Gozo who calmly slots past Anthony Marcucci. 0-1 to the visitors.

27' - Close chance for New York Red Bulls as Emil Forsberg's free-kick strikes the crossbar. RSL living dangerously.

52' GOAL! - New York Red Bulls equalize! Emil Forsberg with a perfectly weighted cross finds Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting at the far post who heads home. 1-1.

81' - PENALTY SAVED! Rafael Cabral dives correctly to his right to deny Choupo-Moting from the spot after Justen Glad's handball in the box.

85' RED CARD - Diego Luna receives a second yellow card for a late challenge on Daniel Edelman, reducing Real Salt Lake to ten men.

90' RED CARD - Kyle Duncan is shown a straight red card for a reckless tackle, evening the numbers at 10 vs 10.

99' GOAL! - PENALTY! Choupo-Moting makes no mistake this time, sending Cabral the wrong way after Noel Caliskan's foul in the box. New York Red Bulls 2-1 Real Salt Lake.

Tactically, Sandro Schwarz adjusted his team's approach after the break, instructing his full-backs to push higher and creating overloads in wide areas. This tactical shift increased pressure on RSL's defensive line and eventually paid dividends with the equalizer. Pablo Mastroeni responded by shifting to a more defensive 5-3-1 formation after Luna's dismissal, but the numerical advantage RBNY enjoyed for five minutes before Duncan's red card proved crucial in building momentum toward the dramatic conclusion.

This encounter marked the 23rd competitive meeting between New York Red Bulls and Real Salt Lake in MLS history. The head-to-head record now stands at 12 wins for RBNY, 8 for RSL, and 3 draws.

Historically, the Red Bulls have dominated this fixture at home, having now won 9 of the 12 meetings at their home stadium. Today's result continues that trend, though the manner of victory was far more dramatic than many previous encounters.

Last season's corresponding fixture ended in a 0-0 draw, making today's three-goal thriller a significantly more entertaining spectacle for the neutral observer. The teams' contrasting styles were evident throughout—RBNY's high-pressing, possession-based approach against RSL's more direct, counter-attacking strategy.

Key individual battles shaped the contest, particularly the duel between Emil Forsberg and Braian Ojeda in midfield. Forsberg's creativity ultimately proved decisive with his assist for the equalizer. Similarly, the battle between Choupo-Moting and RSL center-back Justen Glad was fascinating throughout, with the Red Bulls forward eventually winning this personal duel with his two-goal performance.

The rivalry between these cross-conference opponents has intensified in recent years, with five of their last seven meetings now decided by a single goal. Today's dramatic finale adds another memorable chapter to their MLS confrontation history.

MLS Eastern Conference (relevant positions):

1. New York Red Bulls - 38 points (26 matches)

Following this vital home victory, the Red Bulls have moved up one position in the Eastern Conference standings. They now sit just two points behind CF Montréal who occupy the final playoff spot. With eight games remaining in their regular season campaign, Sandro Schwarz's side has a realistic chance of securing postseason soccer if they can maintain their strong home form.

MLS Western Conference (relevant positions):

1. Real Salt Lake - 24 points (27 matches)

The late defeat compounds RSL's difficult season as they remain rooted near the bottom of the Western Conference. Now eight points adrift of the playoff positions with only seven matches remaining, Pablo Mastroeni's team faces an uphill battle to extend their season beyond the regular campaign. Their away form continues to be problematic, having secured just one victory on their travels this season.

This result significantly impacts the playoff race in both conferences. The Red Bulls' victory keeps their postseason hopes alive, while RSL's loss makes their path to the playoffs increasingly difficult, potentially shifting their focus toward rebuilding for next season.