Postseason heartbreak and the New York Red Bulls go together like a Northeastern winter and snow.
The team once known as the MetroStars are all too familiar with suffering disappointment in the playoffs, which is no surprise given that they have gone 19 seasons without the league’s grandest prize. That isn't to say that it's been all unhappy moments in the club’s postseason history, but the good ones are few and far between and mostly overshadowed by the lengthy list of disappointments that led to the coining of the oft-heard phrase: ‘That’s so Metro.’
New York will attempt to avoid adding to that list this Saturday when they attempt to overturn a deficit against the New England Revolution in order to keep their deepest run in six years going in the 2014 MLS Cup Playoffs, presented by AT&T.
While that future has yet to be written, here is a look at the top five heartbreaking moments in New York’s postseason history:
5. Marshall Law
The Red Bulls made it to the title game once before, but ultimately fell to the Columbus Crew, 3-1, in 2008. New York had enjoyed a Cinderella run in the postseason to make it that far against favored Columbus, but there was still a belief from the Red Bulls fans that they could end more than a decade of misery.
That was especially the case when John Wolyniec leveled the match in the 51st minute, only for New York to see their title dreams dashed for good just two minutes later. Guillermo Barros Schelotto whipped in a corner from the right, and Chad Marshall too easily tracked the ball down to nod home the winner and prolong the Red Bulls’ trophy-less misery.
4. A Self-Inflicted Wound
After picking up a respectable 2-2 draw vs. the Houston Dynamo, first-year head coach Mike Petke took his Supporters’ Shield-winning Red Bulls back home for the second leg of the 2013 Eastern Conference Semifinals, where they took an early lead thanks to Bradley Wright-Phillips.
New York looked to be sitting pretty, but only 13 minutes after taking the lead, a nightmare of a pass from center back Ibrahim Sekagya allowed Brad Davis to walk in on goal with ease to again tie the series up. Behind an eight-save game from Dynamo 'keeper Tally Hall and Omar Cummings' extratime winner, the Dynamo were then able to put the nail in the coffin of another Red Bulls run.
3. Epic Meltdown
Different name, same result. Back when the club was known as the MetroStars, it suffered a gut-wrenching loss to the New England Revolution in the 2005 Eastern Conference Semifinals. The team had won at home in the first leg, 1-0, and added to that advantage near the hour mark of the decisive game in Foxborough. But a furious rally or epic meltdown – however you want to look at it – saw the Revolution score three times in the final 22 minutes to win series 3-2, and send another New York season cruelly down the drain.
2. Can't Close
Unlike the team that made to MLS Cup 2008, the 2010 Red Bulls were considered one of the more likely teams to hoist the trophy at the end of the year. They had finished in first place in the Eastern Conference in the regular season and gone on the road and picked up a 1-0 win over the San Jose Earthquakes in the first leg of the Conference Semifinals.
All New York needed was to go home and finish the job. The Earthquakes scored early and then took the series lead against a stunned Red Bulls side, both goals courtesy of current Red Bull Bobby Convey. The hosts eventually responded, but Chris Wondolowski – fresh off his breakout season – ensured that San Jose would move on with an 81st-minute dagger.
1. A Nightmare Come True
The postgame scene at Red Bull Arena following the second leg of their 2012 Eastern Conference Semifinals said it all. Red Bulls forward Kenny Cooper was in tears in his locker room, surely replaying the play that proved to be so damning for him and the club over and over again in his head.
Cooper had a potential series-changing penalty kick vs. archrivals D.C. United blocked by backup goalkeeper Joe Willis, who had only come on after United starter Bill Hamid had been sent off for the foul that resulted in the chance. But worse than the miss itself was what transpired just prior, as Cooper had initially converted the spot kick only to have to retake it due to encroachment by Thierry Henry and Tim Cahill.
The ensuing stop by Willis provided a platform for D.C. to score a late winner and celebrate with their traveling fans, who were doing giving plenty of stick to New York’s supporters. The series was full of heartbreakers for the Red Bulls, but nothing quite summed it all up like the penalty kick fiasco that should never have been.
