HARRISON, N.J. – Thwarted time and again by a 10-man side and in desperate need of a goal, the New York Red Bulls emerged victorious on Wednesday thanks to a late game-winner. But it was not the club’s leading scorer or its French superstar that provided the stoppage-time decider.
Rather, it was arguably the club’s most consistent performer in 2014 that came through in the clutch.
Lloyd Sam proved to be the difference for the Red Bulls in their controversial and testy match vs. D.C. United on Wednesday night, as he scored a 90th-minute goal to deliver New York a 1-0 home win that pushed them back into the thick of things in the Eastern Conference’s playoff race.
Sam did what appeared impossible for most of the evening, beating a superhuman Bill Hamid with a low shot that slipped through the D.C. goalkeeper’s legs. What followed was pure bliss from a Red Bulls team and fanbase that were moments away from another frustrating result, as well as plenty of adulation for the English midfielder whose deadly crosses have become a staple of New York’s attack.
“He’s been one of our most steady performers all year,” said Red Bulls head coach Mike Petke. “Lately, over the last month or so, we’ve asked him to do things a little bit differently here and there, tuck in a little bit more. But, at the end of the day, he always has free rein to go wide because that’s his strongest position and you could see that he tears players up on his right foot, [and] he’s able to cut it back on his left and the crosses are immaculate every time.”
Indeed, Sam has been a reliable piece of the puzzle for Petke this season. The 29-year-old veteran has started in all but one of the Red Bulls’ 27 league matches, and only missed a July meeting vs. Real Salt Lake because of yellow card accumulation.
Sam becoming such an integral part of New York’s lineup a season after he made just eight starts is down to a number of factors, including his consistently solid performances, ability to avoid injury and manner in which he gained the faith of Petke & Co.
“The main thing with Lloyd since he’s been here is just staying healthy, staying fit,” said midfielder Dax McCarty. “He was a guy that had a bad knee injury when he first got here and then it was just trying to get his fitness and trying to get the trust of the coaching staff. That’s one thing I know Lloyd had a lot of struggles with. He’s a guy who wanted to be on the field, and the coaches were saying, ‘Earn it, earn it, earn our trust.’
“Lloyd did that. He’s a guy that persevered and now you can see the fruits of what he brings to the team. He’s very fast – he’s not as fast as [former Red Bulls right winger] Dane Richards, that’s for sure – but he’s a guy that’s very technical, crosses with both feet and obviously he’s got an end product that’s been very good this year. It’s great to see him get on the end of a goal and a game-winner.”
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Predictably, Sam was in a good mood postgame. He joked with teammate and MLS’s Golden Boot leader Bradley Wright-Phillips – whose heel tap celebration he comically emulated after scoring – by asking him if this is how it felt to bury game-winners.
Sam – who entered Wednesday with two goals and eight assists – did in fact net a decisive tally earlier this season. His goal against the Philadelphia Union back in April stood as the winner, but only because the Union struck late to make the scoreline 2-1.
That, combined with New York moving back into the playoff picture, is why Wednesday’s dramatic winner had a bit more significance to the midfielder who has been all too dependable this year.
“Great feeling,” said Sam. “It’s just like any goal, but this one meant a bit more because we needed that win. It was so frustrating being out there and nothing was working, so it felt even better this time.”
Franco Panizo covers the New York Red Bulls for MLSsoccer.com. He can be reached by email at Franco8813@gmail.com.
