MONTCLAIR- Toronto FC II struck first, but Red Bull New York II stormed back and won their third game in a row 5-1 on Sunday night at MSU Soccer Park.
Toronto FC II opened the scoring when Diego Nue-Brito sent a through ball into the box for Elias Khodri. Khodri caught up to the ball and, without taking a touch, ripped a right-footed strike that beat Morristown-native Tobias Szewczyk inside the near post in the fourth minute.
It didn’t take long for Red Bull New York II to wake up and they found their first scoring chance in the 15th minute when Joshua Munson chested and volleyed a cross from Dennis Nelich over the crossbar.
In the 20th minute, captain Nate Worth intercepted the ball inside Toronto’s half of the field. Worth then lobbed a pass into the box for Dennis Gjengaar who terrifically first-time volleyed the ball into the bottom left corner to tie the match up at one.
In the 40th minute, Toronto FC II’s Bryce Boneau hit the crossbar at one end of the field. A minute later, Gjengaar hopped all over a bad pass, went in one-on-one with the TFC goalkeeper, Zakaria Nakhly, dribbled around him and finished to make it 2-1.
Eight minutes into the second half, Andy Rojas took advantage of a bad touch by Nakhly just feet from his own goal and scored to double Red Bull New York II’s lead.
In the 60th minute, Rojas dribbled forward on the counterattack and passed from the wing to the center of the field for two Red Bulls II players. Nelich got to the ball, cut back on a defender inside the box and carefully chipped the ball past Nakhly to increase the Baby Bulls’ lead to 4-1.
Red Bull New York II’s fifth goal was the icing on the cake: the product of great teamwork and unselfishness.
Gjengaar bursted through the midfield with the ball and sprayed a through ball wide to Benjam Rodriguez. Rodriguez caught up to Gjengaar’s through ball at the top of the box before passing around Nakhly and into the open net for his teammate Christian Gallagher who beat his marker to the ball and scored to make it 5-1.
Rodriguez could have easily chosen to pad his stats by attempting a shot, but he chose to pass to Gallagher.
Gjengaar continues to make a case to see more time with the first team after earning his second brace of the season.
Rojas scored his fifth goal of the season, Worth added his sixth assist, Nelich scored his team-leading seventh goal and Gallagher scored his sixth goal.
The Baby Bulls move up three spots in the MLS NEXT Pro Eastern Conference standings to sixth place after earning their seventh home victory.
Red Bull New York II will head out on the road to take on Connecticut United FC on Saturday August 29 in their next game.
