NOTES: RBNY Advance to Eastern Conference Championship For First Time Since 2015

New York Red Bulls 3, Columbus Crew SC 0

Aggregate: Red Bulls 3 - 1

Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs Eastern Conference Semifinals Leg 2

Sunday, November 11, 2018 – 7:30 p.m. ET

Red Bull Arena | Harrison, N.J.

NY – Alex Muyl 1 (Long, Royer) 17’

NY – Daniel Royer 1 (Muyl, Adams) 73’

NY – Daniel Royer 2 (Kaku) 76’

New York Red Bulls: Luis Robles ©; Aaron Long, Michael Amir Murillo, Tim Parker, Kemar Lawrence, Sean Davis, Tyler Adams, Kaku, Alex Muyl (Marc Rzatkowski, 85’), Danny Royer (Derrick Etienne, Jr., 85’), Bradley Wright-Phillips

TOTAL SHOTS: 13; SHOTS ON GOAL: 4; FOULS: 7; OFFSIDE: 4; CORNER KICKS: 4; SAVES: 4

Columbus Crew SC: Zack Steffen; Gaston Sauro (Patrick Mullins, 79’), Harrison Afful, Jonathan Mensah, Milton Valenzuela, Artur, Federico Higuain, Justin Meram (Luis Argudo, 84’), Pedro Santos (Cristian Martinez, 82’), Wil Trapp, Gyasi Zardes

TOTAL SHOTS: 12; SHOTS ON GOAL: 4; FOULS: 11; OFFSIDE: 3; CORNER KICKS: 6; SAVES: 1

Referee: Alan Kelly

Assistant Referees: Jason White, Eric Weisbrod

4th Official: Baldomero Toledo

VAR: Allen Chapman

Attendance: 22,789

• Daniel Royer’s sixth-career brace paced the New York Red Bulls past Columbus Crew SC, 3-0, in the second leg of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on Sunday night at Red Bull Arena. New York advanced to the Eastern Conference Championship on a 3-1 aggregate and will face Atlanta United in the conference final.
• New York advanced to the Eastern Conference Final for the first time since 2015 and third time in the last five seasons.
• In the 17^th minute, Sean Davis sent a free kick into the box that Royer headed towards Aaron Long. Long settled the ball and took a shot, which ricocheted off Alex Muyl into the net.
• Holding on to a 1-0 lead, New York had a perfect tic-tac-toe play in the box that finished with Royer sneaking his shot under Zack Steffen to double the lead, 2-0 in the 73^rd minute.
• Moments later, Kaku fed Royer, who found space and launched his shot, again, past Steffen for the third and final goal of the match in the 76^th.
• Royer recorded his sixth career brace across all competitions and moved into sole possession for third all-time in franchise history.
• Muyl became the 31^st player in club history to record a goal in the playoffs.
• Five different Red Bulls were credited with an assist. Kaku, Long and Muyl all recorded their first career playoff assist.
• Luis Robles tallied three saves for his seventh career postseason clean sheet in his 20^th career playoff match.
• Robles’ seven career playoff shutouts move him into a tie with Tom Presthus for seventh all-time in MLS history.
• The Captain also tallied his eighth playoff win in net to move into a three-way tie for ninth all-time in league history.
• The two legs of the conference final is set for Nov. 25 and Nov. 29 with the Red Bulls hosting the second leg as the top seed in the East.