Walking away from The Home Depot Center on Saturday with three points in hand was significant, but for the New York Red Bulls the way in which the victory came about will resonate for some time to come.
Juan Pablo Angel's 78th-minute goal canceled out Alan Gordon's tally barely a minute earlier as New York walked away from the match with a 2-1 victory.
The Red Bulls improved to 3-1-2 and notched their first road victory of the season.
"(The three points) are massive," Red Bulls coach Juan Carlos Osorio said. "It's three games in a row we haven't lost and I think it shows with a different formation we can get results away from home."
Equally as important was Angel's play. The club's leading scorer from last season showed good form throughout the match but the Galaxy's defense contained the Colombian striker for most of the first 77 minutes of the game.
But after the Red Bulls conceded the equalizer, Angel responded. Dane Richards raced past Brandon McDonald and slipped the ball to the top of the penalty area. Angel skirted past Galaxy goalkeeper Steve Cronin and buried a shot in an empty net.
"I think the most important thing was the way we reacted right after they tied the game. It was a great play on a counterattack and a perfect pass by Dane Richards," Angel said. "We were upset for having given up a goal, but I think the way we reacted leaves us all feeling good. They could have easily taken control of the game but we did not let them and that's the most satisfactory thing from the game."
Angel, who tore apart MLS with 19 goals a year ago, tallied his first strike of 2008. Battling through hamstring problems, Angel has missed time this season.
The goal and his overall 90-minute effort were positive steps forward, Angel said.
"It's been quite a difficult start for me in terms of the injury I've been having," Angel said. "I'm still not feeling 100 percent but I've been trying to get myself in good shape and the only way that you're going to do it is ... to play games and that's what I'm trying to do. Little by little, I'm getting there."
With Angel regaining his health, the club might now face upcoming matches with more confidence. The win was the Red Bulls' first in three tries away from Giants Stadium.
"We didn't have a road win yet and we're improving, from Dallas to Toronto to here, and you see it in the results," Red Bulls midfielder Dave van den Bergh said. "I thought we played better in Toronto but we'll take the three points. It's always a tough road game here."
Throughout the match, van den Bergh was matched up with David Beckham -- though his task was a relatively straightforward plan.
"I thought it was a good battle. Everybody knows exactly what he's good so it was important for me to take away the crosses," van den Bergh said. "He had a couple in -- you can't prevent him from crossing the ball, that's impossible especially in a big field like this."
Van den Bergh was also on the receiving end of a Beckham challenge. In the 67th minute, Beckham flattened van den Bergh on the near the left touchline. As van den Bergh lay on the field, Beckham was booked for the first time this season.
"He fouled me and got a yellow. That's it," van den Bergh said. "He gave me an earful but that's all right."
Overall, though, van den Bergh said he walked away feeling good about the clash with Beckham.
"I thought it was a good battle. He forces people to rise to the occasion and I love that," he said. "Those are the games you want to play."
Red Bulls rookie Danleigh Borman also had a memorable match. Borman's 21st-minute strike was his first goal in a Red Bulls uniform. The play gave the visitors the lead as Borman collected a rebound after Jozy Altidore was turned away by Galaxy 'keeper Steve Cronin.
"It just was reaction," Borman said. "I saw the ball bounce toward me. I saw the goal open and I took the shot right straight in the corner."
Afterward, Borman ran toward the left corner and did a backflip that appeared to break down midway through the landing, though the rookie said it was "intended."
Nonetheless, he said his first tally was "unbelievable. It was a relief to get my first goal in MLS, in professional soccer."
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
