Dru Yearwood and Cameron Harper each had a goal and an assist as the visiting New York Red Bulls held on for a 4-3 win over never-say-die Austin FC on Sunday in the first-ever meeting between the sides.
The Red Bulls (10-6-6, 36 points) recorded their seventh road win of the season and snapped Austin’s team-record seven-game streak without a loss. But New York’s victory was not without plenty of late drama.
Austin (12-5-5, 41 points) was without stalwart starting goalkeeper Brad Stuver, who was held out due to health and safety protocol. Replacement Andrew Tarbell struggled, as Austin allowed its most goals at home this season.
Serge Ngoma put the visitors on the board with a goal in the 14th minute, unleashing a blistering shot from outside the box. Tarbell was able to get both hands on the ball, but it bounced between his legs and into the bottom left corner of the net. John Tolkin was credited with the assist for his pass that started the scoring play.
Yearwood added to New York’s lead in the 26th minute, dribbling toward the goal before outmuscling a pair of Austin defenders and beating Tarbell to the bottom right corner.
Austin found some life in the waning seconds of the first half when Sebastian Driussi cut into the deficit. But the Red Bulls capitalized on another Austin turnover in the midfield in the 51st minute to move back to a two-goal advantage.
Yearwood carried the ball deep into the offensive zone before laying off a pass to Harper, who faked Austin defender Ruben Gabrielsen to the ground and switched to his preferred left foot to bury the shot past the Austin keeper.
Tom Barlow tallied the Red Bulls’ final goal with a right-footed shot from the center of the box to the bottom left corner in the 65th minute off an assist by Harper.
Driussi cut the New York lead to 4-2 with his second goal, this one from 10 yards outside the box in the 69th minute. Austin then pulled to within a goal in the 81st minute as Ethan Finlay redirected a highlight-reel, bicycle-kick assist from newcomer Washington Corozo past red Bulls keeper Carlos Miguel Coronel.
But that’s as close as Austin would get.
–Field Level Media