New York Red Bulls Battle to a 2-2 Draw Against Orlando City in Matchweek 4

The New York Red Bulls demonstrated resilience on Saturday, twice overcoming deficits to secure a 2-2 draw against Orlando City at Sports Illustrated Stadium in an action-packed Matchweek 4 contest. A debut goal from Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and a quick equalizer from Dennis Gjengaar salvaged a crucial point for the home side, despite defensive lapses and missed opportunities that left head coach Sandro Schwarz feeling as though his team had dropped two points rather than earned one.

First Half: Orlando Strikes Early, Red Bulls Respond

Orlando City wasted little time asserting themselves, opening the scoring in the 18th minute through forward Martín Ojeda. Exploiting New York’s sluggish transition defense, Ojeda capitalized on open space, dribbling unchallenged through midfield before unleashing a right-footed strike into the top-right corner, leaving goalkeeper Carlos Coronel with no chance. The goal marked Ojeda’s second of the season and his 12th in three years with Orlando.

The Red Bulls, however, found their way back into the game just over ten minutes later. A controversial moment in the 25th minute saw Choupo-Moting brought down in the box by Orlando defender Robin Jansson. Initially, referee Armando Villarreal waved off penalty claims, but moments later, after Peter Stroud was also fouled in the area, a VAR review ruled in favor of New York. Choupo-Moting stepped up to convert the penalty in the 29th minute, slotting the ball into the bottom-left corner for his first goal with the Red Bulls. The strike was his first since his time at Bayern Munich, where he last found the net in a 4-2 victory over Heidenheim in November 2023.

However, Orlando quickly regained their lead in the 39th minute. New York’s defensive struggles resurfaced when Marco Pašalić exploited an error by left-back Raheem Edwards, who inadvertently kept him onside. Pašalić, off a well-placed ball over the top, found himself one-on-one with Coronel and made no mistake in slotting home his third goal of the season, ensuring Orlando entered halftime with a 2-1 advantage.

Second Half: Gjengaar’s Quick Response and Missed Chances

The Red Bulls wasted no time finding an equalizer after the break. In the 47th minute, Peter Stroud delivered a pinpoint cross from the left wing, finding Gjengaar at the far post. The young forward managed to redirect the ball into the net off his knee, leveling the score at 2-2. Gjengaar, now in his second MLS season, registered his first goal of the campaign after contributing two goals and an assist in his rookie year.

New York had multiple opportunities to seize the lead in the ensuing minutes. Raheem Edwards, seeking redemption for his earlier defensive lapse, found himself with a golden chance in the 52nd minute but misfired a loose ball wide of the left post. Moments later, he failed to capitalize on a rebound following a save by Orlando’s Pedro Gallese. Gjengaar came closest to completing the comeback in the 85th minute when his curling left-footed strike clipped the post, narrowly missing what would have been the game-winner.

Late Drama and Defensive Heroics

The final minutes saw Orlando nearly snatch victory. In second-half stoppage time, Coronel delivered two crucial saves to preserve the draw. First, he denied Ramiro Enrique, who had broken free on the right side of the box. A minute later, he produced a sprawling kick save to stop Rafael Santos, with Duncan McGuire’s follow-up attempt being blocked by a Red Bulls defender.

Despite securing a point, Schwarz was candid in his post-match assessment, acknowledging that while drawing against a strong Orlando side might seem positive on paper, his squad’s defensive lapses and inability to capitalize on chances made the result feel more like two points lost.

Looking Ahead

The Red Bulls (1-1-2, 5 points) now shift their focus to their upcoming home match against Toronto FC, aiming to tighten their defensive structure and convert more of their attacking opportunities. Meanwhile, Orlando City (1-2-1, 4 points) returns home to face D.C. United, hoping to build upon their strong attacking performance while shoring up defensive vulnerabilities.

As both teams continue to shape their early-season narratives, this match showcased the Red Bulls’ resilience and attacking promise while also highlighting areas in need of improvement as they look to climb the Eastern Conference standings.