The New York Red Bulls fell to Portland Timbers, 2-1, on Saturday night in Oregon.
Emil Forsberg scored for New York, equalizing the match. Portland responded minutes later to take the lead.
Portland went up midway through the first half with a looping goal that found the back of the net.
"It's really tough to lose this game," Head Coach Sandro Schwarz said. "How we lost, directly, after we scored the goal -- not to create our momentum, to feel the momentum in the game -- you have to feel the rhythym ... But, at the end, we lost -- on the road -- again."
The Red Bulls leveled the match in the 70th minute, when a through ball by Gustav Berggren deflected off a Portland defender and fell to the feet of Forsberg, who slotted the ball into the bottom right corner of the net.
Portland opened the scoring in the 28th minute, when midfielder Kristoffer Velde sent a high cross into New York’s eighteen-yard box and found the head of Matias Rojas, who’s attempt went into the bottom left corner of the net. Portland took the lead in the 73rd minute, when a Portland defender played a curling cross into New York’s eighteen-yard box and found the foot of Antony on the back post, who put it in the back of the net.
"We have to try so many things, in the final third, we have to work so hard against the ball, to score a goal," Schwarz said.
Forsberg scored his 10th MLS goal of the season and the 19th of his MLS career. The midfielder has recorded eight goal contributions in six matches against Western Conference opponents this season.
Forsberg is now tied for with Amado Guevara (2004) and Lloyd Sam (2015) for sixth place in franchise history for most MLS goals scored in a single season by a midfielder.
Forsberg and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting became the first Red Bulls duo to both score 10-plus MLS goals in a single season since Bradley Wright-Phillips and Daniel Royer in 2018.
Marcelo Morales made his MLS debut in tonight’s match.
Next, New York battles CF Montreal on Saturday, September 20 at Stade Saputo.
Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET with coverage on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV in English and Spanish, and New York Red Bulls Radio presented by Sports Illustrated in English via the New York Red Bulls app and NewYorkRedBulls.com.
