Despite a midweek game and subsequent cross-country flight to Portland, the Red Bulls made it five wins in their last seven games to become the first team to book their spot in the Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs after a 2-0 victory Sunday afternoon over the Portland Timbers.
- Portland Timbers FC 0 (11-10-8), New York Red Bulls 2 (14-8-6)
- Sunday, September 20, 2015 - 5 p.m. ET
- Providence Park - Portland, Oregon
Box Score
Scoring Summary:
- NY - Felipe (3) (Kemar Lawrence) 43'
- NY - Damien Perrinelle (2) (Sacha Kljestan) 45'+2
Misconduct Summary:
- POR - Lucas Melano (caution, foul) 8'
New York Red Bulls: Luis Robles; Kemar Lawrence, Damien Perrinelle, Matt Miazga, Sal Zizzo Ronald Zubar, 86'), Sean Davis, Felipe, Shaun Wright-Phillips (Mike Grella, 67'), Sacha Kljestan ©, Gonzalo Veron (Lloyd Sam, 62'), Bradley Wright-Phillips
TOTAL SHOTS: 20; SHOTS ON GOAL: 6; FOULS: 12; OFFSIDE: 2; CORNER KICKS: 10; SAVES: 4.
Portland Timbers FC: Adam Kwarasey; Alvas Powell (Dairon Asprilla, 76'), Nat Borchers, Liam Ridgewell, Jorge Villafana, Diego Chara, Will Johnson (Rodney Wallace, 66'), Darlington Nagbe, Diego Valeri, Lucas Melano, Maximiliano Urriti (Adi, 56')
TOTAL SHOTS: 17; SHOTS ON GOAL: 4; FOULS: 13; OFFSIDE: 3; CORNER KICKS: 9; SAVES: 3.
- Referee: Drew Fischer
- Referee's Assistants: Jeff Hosking, Greg Barkey
- 4th Official: Daniel Radford
Attendance: 21,144
Notes:
- The New York Red Bulls (14-8-6) clinched a spot in the Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs with a 2-0 victory at Portland Sunday afternoon at Providence Park.
- The win vaults New York into first place in the Eastern Conference with 48 points, one ahead of the Columbus Crew.
- New York is now atop the standings in the Supporters' Shield race with 48 points and the Red Bulls lead Major League Soccer with 1.71 points per game.
- For the first time in their professional careers, Bradley Wright-Phillips and Shaun Wright-Phillips started a game together. The brothers both played for Manchester City earlier in their careers, but today's game at Portland marked the first time they were both in the starting XI. It was also the first start with the Red Bulls for Shaun Wright-Phillips.
- Gonzalo Veron made his starting XI debut with the Red Bulls Sunday at Portland.
- New York is 3-1-2 all-time vs. Portland, including a 1-0-2 record in Portland. Sunday's 2-0 result was the first win in Portland for the Red Bulls.
- New York is 9-1-1 when taking 15 or more shots in a game in 2015. The Red Bulls finished with 20 shots.
- New York is 36-40-12 all-time in the month of September. The Red Bulls have scored 126 goals in the month of August all-time and have allowed 138 in the team's 20-year history.
- Felipe opened the scoring with a strike from long distance in the 43rd minute. It was the third goal of the season for Felipe as Kemar Lawrence assisted on the goal.
- Damien Perrinelle doubled the Red Bulls' advantage in stoppage time at the end of the first half with a beautiful header off a cross from Sacha Kljestan. It was Perrinelle's second goal of the season.
- Beginning with his first MLS start in late 2012, Luis Robles has played 90 minutes in 100 consecutive regular season games, the second longest streak in league history (all GKs).
- New York returns to action Friday, September 25 at Red Bull Arena vs. Orlando City SC. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. with live television coverage on Univision.
