TORONTO – In a prize fight, it's not who lands the first blow, but who lands the last.
The New York Red Bulls were stung on Sunday night when Toronto FC scored twice in the second half to salvage a 3-3 draw at BMO Field.
“It felt like a heavyweight fight, both teams throwing punches, both teams taking punches,” said Jesse Marsch post-match. “It was a high-level game: tactically, competitively, a lot going on. Our team did so much to establish themselves and play well. It’s frustrating because we give up the lead again.”
Marsch was, of course, referring to yet another drawn match from a winning position – their eighth of the season.
“We’re talking about the same thing again, but they threw everything at us, to put us under pressure,” decried Sacha Kljestan. “They did a good job. We did a good job, stood tall, didn’t back down; a couple of deflected goals... It's disappointing because it’s been happening lately and it’s another draw when it could have been three points.”
New York grabbed an early lead through a Steven Beitashour own goal, then added a second in the 31st minute when Eriq Zavaleta was caught in possession, allowing Bradley Wright-Phillips to chip over a stranded Alex Bono.
But Michael Bradley pulled one back for Toronto before halftime to make it a contest.
Wright-Phillips added a third at the start of the second half, but the door was left open for TFC and Jozy Altidore.
“We had some chances to make it four, but it’s just incredible because we shouldn’t have to make it four,” said Marsch. “We should, at 3-1, been able to close the game out, in a smart, competitive, tactical way, come out on top. We've shown weakness in these moments, it’s hard because we did so much in that game well.”
“The guys were up to it today, the fire was there,” observed RBNY 'keeper Luis Robles. “Say what you will – and there will be talk of our habit of blowing leads – but when you look at today’s result, the guys really left it on the field.”
“When we play the game the way we’re supposed to, the way we’re capable, we’re the top team in the league,” continued Robles. “We did it to LA, we did it here, but the real concern is seeing games out. If we sort that out I don’t think there’s a team we can’t beat.”
Lost in the mire was that Wright-Phillips made some MLS history of his own, notching his 19th and 20th goals of the season to become the first player in MLS history to score 20-plus goals in two different seasons. He tallied 27 in 2014.
“Brad has been on fire, playing so well, doing so many little things. I feel like I sit here and gush about him every week,” said Marsch. “He’s been really good, really sharp, really focused, really committed. And the relationship between him and Sasha is just fantastic.”
Accolades are well and good, but, for a true champion, they will do little to salve the wounds of dropped points.
“He’s incredible, but he’s a team player,” said Robles. “He won’t think about the goals scored, but the result. He doesn’t deserve these sorts of results. Congratulations to what he’s done, we couldn’t be half the team without the goals he puts in. I don’t think he gets the credit, if you look at anyone else, all the DPs, he means more to this team than anyone in this league.”
