New York Red Bulls 1, D.C. United 0 | MLS Match Recap

HARRISON, N.J. – A heroic performance from Bill Hamid had a 10-man D.C. United team on the brink of securing a hard-fought road point, but Lloyd Sam came through late to lift the New York Red Bulls past their archrivals.

Just as the Red Bulls looked ready to settle for a frustrating draw at Red Bull Arena, Sam donned the hero’s cape and scored a 90th-minute winner to give New York a 1-0 win on Wednesday night. The goal came only after Hamid had thwarted a bevy of quality chances from New York, who were up a man after Fabian Espindola was controversially sent off with a straight red card in the 32^nd minute.

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The victory moved the Red Bulls to 9-8-10 and pushed them into fourth place in the Eastern Conference, which D.C. United still sit atop of despite falling to 14-9-5.

Even before head official Mark Geiger questionably dismissed Espindola for a high challenge on Dax McCarty, New York were wasteful with their opportunities in front of goal. MLS’ leading scorer Bradley Wright-Phillips lacked sharpness in the final third before coming off at halftime with hamstring tightness, and New York were unable to convert any of their 10 first-half chances.

Hamid made his share of stops in the opening 45 minutes, but he put on a Superman-like effort in the second half to keep D.C. from falling behind. The United goalkeeper stopped a bevy of Red Bulls chances and two from captain Thierry Henry, including on a point-blank effort in the 77^th minute that stunned the 14,953 fans in attendance.

United almost stole all three points on a counter attack in the 80^th minute when substitutes Lewis Neal and Kyle Porter combined, but Porter’s shot was too weak and the Red Bulls cleared it after it got by goalkeeper Luis Robles .

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New York still could not find the breakthrough in the ensuing moments against a D.C. team that threw numbers back and almost settled for a draw that would’ve seen the Red Bulls go 0-2-1 vs. United this season. Sam, however, came to the rescue with his late dramatics.

Sam received a pass from an advanced Jamison Olave on the right side of the penalty area, dribbled forward and then slipped a shot under the seemingly unbeatable Hamid to send Red Bull Arena into ecstacy and give New York their first back-to-back wins since April.

The Red Bulls will continue their busy September and a three-games-in-eight-days stretch on Saturday when they pay other Eastern rivals the Philadelphia Union a visit.

D.C. United, meanwhile, head to Jamaica to take on W Connection in CONCACAF Champions League play next Tuesday before returning to MLS action with a game at the Chicago Fire on Sept. 20.

Franco Panizo covers the New York Red Bulls for MLSsoccer.com. He can be reached by email at Franco8813@gmail.com.

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