Rookie goalkeeper Ryan Meara stepped up big on a number of Real Salt Lake shot attempts to keep the Red Bulls within striking distance, but goals from Fabian Espindola (39') and Luis Gil (58') proved to be enough for the Western Conference side as they went on to win by the final of 2-0 Saturday night at Rio Tinto Stadium.
"They definitely are top three in this league, so the good sign for us was the way we responded after going down two-nil," said Red Bulls head coach Hans Backe. "We controlled the game, dictated the game, created a couple of chances. That's a good sign and credit to the players the way they responded after going down."
New York applied heavy pressure for the better part of the second half, as the pairing of Kenny Cooper, who subbed on at the half, and Thierry Henry looked for ways to capitalize on offense. Defender Jan Gunnar Solli created a number of chances as well on crosses into the box, but failed to find a target to send one home.
The loss hands New York its second of the season, dropping the team's record to 0-2-0 as they return to Red Bull Arena for the highly-anticipated Mar. 25 home opener against the Colorado Rapids. Great seats are starting at $20.
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Here are a few photos from Saturday's match against RSL:
