One of the biggest talking points of a fiercely-contested first half in the New York Derby came right on the stroke of halftime, in an incident that transformed the New York Red Bulls' fortunes after a tough first half against New York City FC.
Alex Muyl played a long ball over the top intended for Brian White, only for Maxime Chanot to catch the Red Bulls forward with a boot to the midsection as he attempted to control the pass, which led referee Alan Kelly to whistle for a penalty after a short hesitation:
The call generated plenty of protests from NYCFC, but Kelly did not opt to go to Video Review. The call for a high boot also bore a striking similarity to the one that led to the US women's national team's opening goal in the World Cup final the previous Sunday, which was only whistled after a review.
Danny Royer powered his penalty into the top corner, giving the Red Bulls a lifeline after a first half in which they'd struggled to make an impression against a clean, incisive NYCFC side.
What do you think? Was the penalty for the Red Bulls justified? Be sure to vote in the poll below and make your thoughts heard in the comments!
