The New York Red Bulls continued to ride a wave of momentum, taking out the San Jose Earthquakes 5-1 with great performances from Sacha Kljestan and Connor Lade. The latter went down with an injury in the first half, but Kljestan continued to tear things up and got his first MLS goal of the season in the second half.
The opener was set up by Kljestan and Lade with some accurate passing on the wing. Lade then sent the ball in to Sean Davis who popped it up then struck it on the half-volley – a rocket of an attempt that blasted past David Bingham into the near corner of the net.
The second half saw the Red Bulls pour on the pressure until a they finally broke through with a moment of brilliance. Substitute Gonzalo Veron dribbled strong along the sideline, then sent in a ball that caromed to Kljestan, who scored a fairly simple knock-in that proved to be the match winner.
Goals
- 38' - NY - Sean Davis Watch
- 73' - NY - Sacha Kljestan Watch
- 75' - NY - Felipe Watch
- 88' - SJ - Valeri Kazaishivili Watch
- 90' - NY - Daniel Royer Watch
- 90'+1' NY - Daniel Royer Watch
Three Things
- WELCOME TO THE PARTY: For both Kljestan and Felipe 2017 had been a goalless season, but that's no longer the case after their back-to-back goals in the last half hour of the match. Kljestan was a part of all three of Red Bulls' three unanswered goals to begin the match, and his distribution appears to be back at the level he's been known for since returning to MLS.
- HOLD YOUR HEAD UP: The stretch to end the game featuring a San Jose goal and a Daniel Royer brace betray what was up to that point an admirable showing by the Quakes. The Earthquakes looked dangerous on the counter all game and were the better chance creators early on.
- WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU: The Red Bulls were hoping to creep back up into a playoff spot with a win Wednesday, and now with the Western Conference's last-placed team visiting on the weekend there's a chance that NYCFC will have their neighbors breathing down their neck in the standings soon.
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