A John Tolkin penalty saved the New York Red Bulls season and sent them to the MLS playoffs for the 14th-consecutive season with a 1-0 win at Nashville SC.
Results elsewhere forced New York to secure a win, and with the time ticking down, it didn't look like that breakthrough was going to come. With minutes left in the match, Tolkin stepped up to the spot after Luquinhas drew a foul in the penalty box.
He cooly slotted it home into the bottom right corner and sent the Red Bulls to the playoffs.
Tolkin recorded his third goal of the season and his first career MLS penalty. Tolkin recorded 14 points across all competitions this season (three goals, eight assists), which is now a franchise record for most points by a defender in a single season.
Carlos Coronel has posted a 2-0-2 mark against Nashville SC in his career and now has three career shutouts against the club.
Coronel recorded his 30th career shutout with the Red Bulls and his ninth of the season in MLS, which ranks tied for seventh in MLS. He has now posted shutouts in back-to-back matches. Coronel played all 34 matches this season and is one of two goalkeepers to do that this season.
The win secured a playoff match at Red Bull Arena against Charlotte FC on Wednesday, October 25.
The Red Bulls clinched the playoffs for the 14th consecutive season and the 24th time in franchise history. The 14 straight postseason appearances is now the longest streak in MLS history, passing Seattle Sounder FC’s 13 years, which ended in the 2022 season.
