Red Bulls prepare too well, beating Orlando City 3-2, spoiling another rebound match | OneFootball

The New York Red Bulls watched their tapes as they prepared for Orlando City SC at home.

The New York Red Bulls saw a lot in their scouting report for Orlando City SC. As they drilled for the Lions at home, the report said to award Mijahir Jimenez his first-ever start. And furthermore, put the striker front and center.

The forward got scoring started against the visitors in the 23rd minute, finishing a complex play. Emil Forsberg played a ball to the right side of the box, where Gustav Berggren crossed it to Jimenez for a score.

Then Forsberg scored in the 43rd minute. Justin Che played a ball forward to Cade Cowell for the first of his two assists on the night.

It was Forsberg’s 22nd goal of his career, third-most by a midfielder in the Red Bull franchise.

Then Jimenez became only the second Red Bull to score a brace in his MLS debut. In the 60th minute, Dylan Nealis played a ball forward to Cowell, who forwarded it to Jimenez. It went into the top-right corner of the net.

Tyrese Spicer and Griffin Dorsey scored in the 47th and 63rd minutes for the Lions. But the team lost 3-2.

Spicer has been especially impressive for Orlando this season. It was his fifth goal across all competitions – second on the team and seventh all-time for the franchise.

Spicer added his third assist of the season. Dorsey’s fifth goal across all competitions trails only Martin Ojeda for the team lead this season.

New York Red Bulls v Orlando City SC | Mike Stobe/GettyImages

Braian Ojeda got the first assist for Spicer. Spicer and Robin Jansson were the first and second assists on Dorsey’s score.

The Lions' superlatives in this match still weren’t enough to save them from severe disappointment in the loss. They arrived at the Red Bulls’ pitch with two consecutive clean sheets on their record. They accomplished a run of three clean sheets just twice in club history and hoped for a third.

The first run of clean sheets was in 2024. The second actually ran to five clean sheets just last season.

The consensus among coaches and players is that what foiled Orlando City’s chance for a clean sheet, let alone a victory, is not getting their game strategy in gear in the first half. It was a question of execution that connected to the team’s lack of speed.

The Red Bulls take some responsibility for that. Yet Orlando City SC has had to overcome opponents’ speed traps before. That was when opposing scouts helped coaches devise a system of unleashing their speed on the Lions in the second half.

After falling behind 2-0 in the first half, Orlando City tried their opponents’ speed strategy against the Red Bulls in the second half. After all, the New York squad isn’t as successful in MLS as the two opponents they recently shut out. But they never got an equalizer, and time ran out after Jimenez secured his brace.

Defender Griffin Dorsey simply analyzed the loss as a case of Orlando City SC not starting fast enough. Getting fast and sharp earlier than the second half would be effective as well. And it will get them back in the business of clean sheets while there is still a season to win.