CONCACAF RBNY v Chivas 0-0
Harrison, N.J (April, 11, 2018) — The New York Red Bulls huffed and puffed for nearly 90 straight minutes, but Chivas’ house simply would not fall down.
Despite pressing furiously, carving out chance after chance and locking the Mexican powerhouse in their own end for long stretches while uncorking a whopping 19 shots (eight of them on target), RBNY could not conjure up the goal they needed to draw level with CD Guadalajara in their Concacaf Champions League semifinal series, drawing 0-0 at Red Bull Arena on Tuesday night and bowing out of the tournament via a 1-0 aggregate scoreline.
With a spirited crowd of more than 23,000 roaring both sides on, the home side sprinted out of the gates, putting Chivas under tremendous pressure in the opening half-hour, but failing to apply the final touch in front of Rodolfo Cota’s goal.
The rest of the evening played out in similar fashion, the Red Bulls’ high press rattling their visitors but failing to produce the series-tying goal. With the hard-won result, made possible by their 1-0 win in Leg 1, Chivas advance to the CCL final, where they will meet the winner of the Toronto FC-Club America series.
The Red Bulls crashed out on their terms, imposing their preferred tempo and style of play on their vaunted Liga MX opponents. Yet their attackers may suffer some sleepless nights as their look back on the near-misses and half-chances of this tense, gripping affair.
At the time it was just one among RBNY’s litany of dangerous chances in the early going. But when Daniel Royer’s inviting low cross skimmed right through the heart of the Chivas six-yard box at the 18:00 mark and somehow eluded the slightest of touches it needed to beat Cota despite two white jerseys in close proximity, the tone of the evening was set.
The Red Bulls will wish they’d forced him to work even harder for his clean sheet. That said, Cota and his nine saves is the inevitable selection here.
Next game up is set for Saturday, April 14 vs. Montreal 1PM.
