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Red Bulls Drop 3rd Game In A Row

In a Saturday evening match last night at Red Bull Arena, the New York Red Bulls lost 2-1 to Minnesota United which was the Red Bull's third 2019 MLS season loss in a row.

The loss dropped New York to a 1-3-1, 4 points record and denied the club its100th regular season win at Red Bull Arena.

Despite the loss, New York out-shot Minnesota 13-9, and controlled the ball 63 percent of the game.

Scoring Summary: MIN - Abu Danladi 1 (A. Rodriguez) 34'MIN - Romario Ibarra 1 (unassisted) 50'NY - Cristian Cásseres, Jr. 1 (unassisted) 70' 

Misconduct Summary:None 

New York Red Bulls: Luis Robles ©; Kemar Lawrence, Aaron Long, Tim Parker, Michael Amir Murillo (Marcus Epps, 59'), Sean Davis, Cristian Cásseres, Jr., Alex Muyl (Daniel Royer, 21'), Kaku, Mathias Jørgensen (Derrick Etienne, Jr., 59'), Bradley Wright-Phillips TOTAL SHOTS: 13; SHOTS ON GOAL: 5; FOULS: 11; OFFSIDE: 1; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 3 

Minnesota United: Vito Mannone; Ike Opara, Michael Boxall, Brent Kallman, Jan Gregus, Osvaldo Alonso, Romain Metanaire, Francisco Calvo, Angelo Rodriguez (Rasmus Schüller, 74'), Ethan Finlay (Hassani Dotson, 82'), Abu Danladi (Romario Ibarra, HT) TOTAL SHOTS: 9; SHOTS ON GOAL: 5; FOULS: 12; OFFSIDE: 3; CORNER KICKS: 2; SAVES: 5 

Referee: Joe DickersonAssistant Referees: Corey Parker, Gianni Facchini4th Official: Christopher PensoVAR: Luis Guardia 

Attendance: 15,706   

Minnesota United (3-2-0, 7 pts) defeated the New York Red Bulls (1-3-1, 4 pts) , 2-1, on Saturday night at Red Bull Arena.

The Red Bulls losing streak extended to three matches, which is the first time they had a three-match league losing streak since May of 2017.Minnesota connected twice in the first 50 minutes of the match to build a 2-0 lead on the road.

Following a diving save by Minnesota goalkeeper Vito Mannone off a Tim Parker shot,Cristian Cásseres, Jr. launched the loose ball back into the net to cut the deficit to one, 2-1, in the 70th minute.

Casseres, Jr. recorded his first career MLS goal in just his fifth career league match.

New York's 18-year-old Danish striker Mathias Jørgensen made his first career start for the Red Bulls.

Bradley Wright-Phillips tallied his 200th career start as a Red Bull across all competitions.

Marcus Epps, who was acquired via the MLS Waiver Draft, made his first appearance for New York as he subbed in for Michael Amir Murillo in the 59th minute.New York is 42-36-20 all-time in the month of April.

New York has scored 136 goals in March and allowed 119.

New York hits the road for back-to-back matches, beginning with Sporting Kansas City on Sunday, April 14.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET with coverage on FS1, FOX Sports Go and New York Red Bulls Radio on TuneIn.
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Post-Game Quote Sheet
New York Red Bulls 1, Minnesota United FC 2
April 6, 2019 | Red Bull Arena


New York Red Bulls Head Coach Chris Armas

Q. At this point how can you fix this for the next match?

CHRIS ARMAS: Yeah, look, talking to the guys, listening to the guys, there wasn't a lot of frustration. There's not an ability to break down a block, but I didn't see a lot of frustration. We can talk about quality, we can talk about certain things that didn't happen, but yeah, there wasn't a whole lot of frustration. I think it's pretty clear, this is the third game in a row, right, that -- you know, can you impose your style of play on the opponent? That's the question going in. So when the other team is giving you so much space and giving you so much of the ball, it's tempting to try to play a bit underneath, right, and then if we're sharper in these moments with the final pass and the final play and getting two strikers and we're running and a bunch of crosses that go too far and high, yeah, it just builds. But it was there for us. It was there for us, and you could see in the second half that we played a little bit more our way and forced the issue a little bit. Frame the box, get second balls, launch attacks. That was the rhythm, that was the plan. We're going to get there.

Q. You alter the formation, the two strikers you talked about it during the week, about possibly doing that, but wanting to have the guys comfortable in that situation. What were you looking for with the change, and what did you think of the way the team played in that shape?

CHRIS ARMAS: Yeah, I think that the shape, I think when we're in that structure, we're hard to break down. We're hard to get through, and I think that was pretty obvious. There was really not a whole lot of chances in that first half. This is a couple of counterattacks and playing some balls into Rodriguez up top, and Aaron Long, might have been his best game of the year. So it was exactly what we thought it could look like. Okay, if Quintero was playing, it's another guy underneath, so that gave them another guy to kind of bunker in with their five in the back.

Yeah, look, the formation, again, being hard to break down, meaning us in that structure, when you have Alex and then Danny and then Cristian and wide infielders tucked in and looking like a 4-3-1-2 or a diamond, it sets you up for second balls, it sets you up for putting guys, staggering guys in the pockets, in the gaps, and if you have two strikers then you can challenge the back line. We didn't really get that quality and the sharpness that we need, but I thought structurally it was okay. It was okay.

Seeing how they were lined up, I thought maybe we'd switch with some speed on the flanks, and I thought that was effective.

In the end, whatever structure we play or style or system of play, let's say, we just have to be sharp and execute and try to impose our will on the opponent.

Q. It seemed like the heads sunk a little bit after that first goal and you guys conceded another one at halftime. What do you feel like has been the issue for you guys in that respect this season? It feels like there's been a little bit of a lack of -- when you guys have been down, being able to really respond quickly, even fall behind a lot. What do you feel like the problem has been?

CHRIS ARMAS: Listen, you know, the goals are going to come. But when they don't come and they don't come first, it puts a little more pressure on your back line and your team. And if you look up and add up the amount of shots we've given up on goal in five games to any other team in the league, it's maybe the best, if not top two or three. It was going into the night. So how many did we have tonight? Maybe four? I'm not sure. It puts stress on the team, guys. So we come in, and the guys, they hear, what's that, two in a row, we haven't lost two in a row, now it's three in a row, and that's what guys -- when that first goal comes, what does that do to you? Doesn't make you feel good. So now you're like, okay. And then of course a second goal. So it deflates you a little bit. But our guys rebounded and they came back with energy and fight.

And then I think we could all see when we stick to who we are and force the issue a little bit, which is what we wanted for 90 minutes, not 45 or so, looks more and feels more like us. But when the goals come, it's going to look a lot different. It'll come.

Q. The last three weeks the opposing teams have played very direct, trying to avoid tossing the ball over in their half to limit chances for you guys. When a team does that, what is you guys' plan to create chances?

CHRIS ARMAS: Look, if you think back to 2015 when we started this project, we caught everybody by surprise. Our pressing was new to the league, and things over time have changed now because we're not really catching teams by surprise, right? We can still overwhelm teams with our pressing and counterpressing, but there's been a shift. We can see. It used to be a couple of teams changed their way, and now a lot of teams are changing their way, which -- not just maybe respect out of who we are, but they're saying you can't break us down, and we'll get one against you. That's what's going on. It's been a shift, a big shift. And again, we just have to clearly understand that, and then again, whatever formation we line up in, we're still relying on numerical advantages, our net that we say, counterpressing, controlling spaces. So what do we need to do? Yeah, we have to -- we can be better. We have to stick to who we are. It's two strikers, it's one. It's just that we have to be aggressive, commit numbers and do that for 90 minutes, and I'm sure some of these goals that we're conceding -- some we just weren't good enough -- on one play tonight, we're not as connected as we need to be, and the other one was a little bit more random. It felt like that way. And coming into tonight we gave up four, two our own goals, so it's a little bit of a tough stretch. But we'll come out stronger for sure. We're learning a lot. Learning a lot about what teams are doing and how we can address that.

Q. Three losses in a row, this is your first losing streak with the team. How are you coping with this? You're not used to this with the Red Bulls in particular.

CHRIS ARMAS: Listen, I've been around the game a long time. It's not the first time that I've lost three in a row. I've lost plenty of games. I don't feel I'm coping -- I don't even think about where -- it's just part of the business. I've won a lot more than I've lost, and sometimes they come in bunches with wins and sometimes the losses seem to come around. You know, I've been a guy and a person that I'm at my best when things get tough. So I think that we'll continue to look hard in how we can help as a staff, but I think the energy with the team and the game plans have been right. I think we're thinking about things the right way. But yeah, appreciate you asking, but I'm good. I'm good. I believe in the team. They give me the confidence and the staff is working hard. Again, I think we've gotten a lot right in preparation, and now the results are going to come our way. They do.

When you work as hard as we do and you see things clearly the way we are and you have guys that stick together and believe in each other and believe in who we are, it makes me maybe sleep good at night. But certainly I'll be working even harder.

Q. Coach, could you real quick give a quick update on Alex, and also talk about after he went down, being with him off the field in the second half, the team was still -- he was one of the people who during this stretch he's still been one of the best players on the field, still putting in (indiscernible) after every game, and in the second half you guys still controlled the ball for 90 percent of it. The team still served offensively. Can you talk a little bit about that, off the field?

CHRIS ARMAS: Well, look, I think that this team has shown that it has a clear playing style. We have a clear style that we've seen when different players have not been in the lineup that the next guy comes in and things keep moving. And that's just -- I think there's a clear understanding of roles and responsibilities on the field. So I imagine Danny Royer coming to the game, he knows it better than anyone. Yeah, I thought Danny did great, and of course it's a tough loss. Alex brings a lot of quality and fight, and you have to make that change. But yeah, credit to the team in the second half for making the push that we did. But yeah, we fell a little short.

Yeah, look, Alex has been a big part of things. We've been relying on him a lot. He's given so much to the team this year. His energy is contagious, and it's important for us, especially the way we play and the way we need to be playing more. I think he just rolled his ankle. He'll be back soon.


New York Red Bulls goalkeeper Luis Robles
On the struggles with this team compared to 2016…
2016, we started 1-6. There are some similarities. Remember that year, though we weren't nearly as good as this defense is, it seemed like we get punished on things that when everything is going well, you don't get punished on. You look at today’s goals, they end up playing a ball into the 18 and the guy ends up getting a beat on Tim. He plays it across and from about 12 yards out, this guy comes in and slots it. I mean, I've seen him play a lot of games and it was a good finish for him. Then you look at the second goal, A-Lo clears it and kind of goes off of Rodriguez and then he hits it across perfectly and this guy volleys it. It's in that situation, where what can go wrong, goes wrong and get punished when things go wrong. The only way to climb out of it is one step at a time and every guy pulls his weight. That's where we're at.

On the message to the fans and teammates after the loss:
I'll speak to the fans first. I mean, when a team isn’t playing well, they pay the money, so they get to make the decision if they want to stay for 90 minutes or if they want to leave when they want to. Those who continue to support us through thick and thin, we really appreciate it because they end up being the heartbeat of this club and this organization. I just hope that they can understand that we are humans, we're trying and we're going to fix this thing. If they can stay with us, that's great. But at the end of the day, I know that there's a strong contingent of supporters that, no matter what, they're always there. We're very appreciative to those people. As far as the message to my teammates, it's very clear we haven't been good enough. All of us can be better. As we look into the mirror, we know that we're capable of so much more. And yet, when you look at the five games, nine if you include Champions League, we haven't played to our full potential. But the other part of the message is that is the beginning of the season. When you look at 2016 as an example, we started 1-6. In a very similar way, all the mistakes that we made or the have chances that we gave up, we got punished. We're able to turn that around and fell within three points of Supporter’s Shield. I'm confident in this group that we can turn it around but the only way that we're going to do that is by showing up to work each and every day and understanding that there's no help coming through the door. It's going to be on our shoulders and that we have to step up to the plate and bring the right attitude, the mentality to work each and every day so that together we can pull through it.

On not being able to put together a complete 90-minute performance:

I definitely agree that we haven't been able to put together 90 minutes of the type of football that we want to play, against an opponent that's really going to challenge us. The only thing that I to have to remind myself, I have to take a step back and have some perspective, is that it is the beginning of season. I'd rather be the team that's trying to figure it out in the beginning and does well at the end. We've all seen so many times in this league, teams come flying out of the gate and then they end the season and they can't win. I'd rather we go through our struggles right now so that we can really refine our character. We can iron out the way that we want to play so that it's through these failures, we can learn the lessons that's going to ensure our future success.


Red Bulls Midfielder Cristian Cásseres Jr.

On getting his first goal:
It was a very important goal in my career and in my life. It’s my first goal here. I’m very grateful for that, I’m happy. Yes, we lost 2-1 but we have to put that aside and now get ready for the next game against Kansas City.

On getting comfortable playing in MLS:
Yes. I came here and I’m trying to play in the MLS but if I have to play in the USL, I’ll play the same way as I play in the USL because ultimately, I represent the New York Red Bulls.

On this game compared to the game against Columbus:
They’re very different altogether as teams. They play a different way. I think today’s team was very complicated to play against. They laid out their game plan and executed very well. They did that to their favor.

On having to adjust the game plan:
We hear at New York Red Bulls play on their system, a way in which the players that come in have to adapt to year after year.


Red Bulls Striker Mathias Jorgensen

His Thoughts on his first start:
For myself it was great that Chris [Armas] believed in me and could do something in this game. It was actually great to get my first start besides this final result especially when you are home.

On Chris’ confidence in him:
I try to work hard and train and try to believe to show the and the coaches that I want to make a difference and hopefully achieve success with the team. Especially, getting more balls in the sense that gives me more confidence to work hard every day on the training pitch.

On what the team needs to do to bounce back:
You’re trying to work hard every day and training and try to stand up as fast as possible and get our heads up then try to work hard every day in training and keep believing in our style and keep trying to be ourselves and just try to get out next week in Kansas City and to look like Red Bulls.

On playing alongside Bradley Wright-Phillips:
It was a huge performance to get to play with Bradley on the side and I feel like a big player and he can teach me something. It was just a great experience for me to play alongside as good a striker as Bradley.


Minnesota United FC Head Coach Adrian Heath


Q. You guys got the victory here. Just overall thoughts on pulling out the win in a tough place.
ADRIAN HEATH: I thought we deserved it. They had a bit of pressure, but I think apart from one good effort from Bradley Wright-Phillips, I can't remember Vito having a lot to do. I thought we looked dangerous on the break all evening. Obviously the changing formations certainly helped us, and I thought there was a lot of really good performances.

But we spoke to the group before the season started with five games on the road, and we thought that if we can come out with seven or nine, it's been a really, really good start for us, and that's what we've got. So we're delighted. We've virtually played a third of our away games now. So to be where we are gives us a lot of encouragement. As I said to the players after, it's been a reasonable start, but we can get better.

Q. A lot of your game plan at least from my vantage point was going direct to your nine, having it build up and then trying not to turn the ball over in dangerous spots, which is where they make their money. Did you see that --
ADRIAN HEATH: Yeah, we've spoke about it because the one thing about these -- they're probably as good as anybody in the league at pressing the ball, and if you play into the hands of trying to play short balls out and they get cut out and then all of a sudden they turn you around, it's a problem. So we tried to break the initial press, get it in to Angelo, then get runners going from there, can we switch the play because that's sometimes difficult for them, as well, and I thought we managed to get our fullbacks, especially Romain, into there off the field. That was where the goal came from. Overall, tactically we knew what we were doing, but sometimes it doesn't look like that.

Q. You mentioned that you wanted to get the seven or nine points going in when you go back to St. Paul. Now that you have the nine, just what does it mean?
ADRIAN HEATH: Well, as I say, it's been a really good start for us. We had was it two wins all of last year, so now we've got three out of five. We've actually given ourselves a good little start. But as I said, it doesn't count for anything next week. It's going to be a nice day for everybody, but like I just said to the players, they're nicer days when you win.

Q. What has kind of been the difference this year on the road with this team maybe versus something you weren't seeing last year?
ADRIAN HEATH: Different mentality, different group. You go from the middle of last year, Angelo and Mario and Darwin, plus the five we've added this year, in less than six months it's like eight players and you in the team, and we've added really good important pieces with Ozzie Alonzo, Ike Opara, Vito in goal, Romain. We've added a lot of experience, people who have done the course and business before. They know what playing in this league is like. We've added good experience, we've added good players, we've added good characters, and that's the reason we've had a better start.

Q. That second goal in the second half, what did it mean to go up 2-0 right there?
ADRIAN HEATH: Well, it does. Obviously you still never want to (indiscernible) because we knew they were going to keep pressing and then all of a sudden I thought, here we go, because we've had three penalties this year, I thought we were going to get one against us. But no, I was pleased with the commitment to see the job through because I can honestly think that this time last year we would have probably caved in and this would have been 2-2. But now, we're a different mentality, I think we're a different group, and we give ourselves a good opportunity to move forward.

Q. Did their formational look change things at all for you? Did it catch you a bit by surprise?
ADRIAN HEATH: No, we knew whichever way they played they were going to put us under a lot of pressure. The secret is here, we say all the time, is don't turn it over in bad spots, take your opportunities when they come, and you have a chance, because if you don't, chances are they're going to suffocate you, and we didn't let that to happen today.

Q. You talked about having a special day this week. What does it mean for you guys, looks like --
ADRIAN HEATH: Well, it's a beautiful stadium and a lot of hard work has gone into it. As I said the other day, it's like a bit of a dream that's become a reality. But having been through this in a few places in the past, let's go win the game, and that'll make it even more special.

Q. What are your expectations for Romario this year?
ADRIAN HEATH: For Romario? If he plays regular, to score more than 10 goals, double figures. There's more goals in him. I think he's on the field -- even last weekend in LA, he had two opportunities last week. He gets himself in good scoring positions. He's got to stay fit. He's got to get fitter, and if he does, he'll score goals.

Q. Are you happy the position that he has been playing the last couple games?
ADRIAN HEATH: Yeah, the biggest issue that we've had with Romario since he's been with us is keeping him fit for a period of time. He plays the game, then he has a little slight hamstring or a groin and then he leaves, he misses a week, 10 days, and then he comes again. We need him to stay fit, and if he stays fit, he'll score goals.

Minnesota United Defender Brent Kallman

On the team’s overall performance:
We knew it was going to be a battle. They play very direct, they put numbers around for the knockdowns, so we knew it wasn’t going to be a pretty game and we were going to have to grind it out and we were going to get chances on the break. It went exactly the way we prepared and tried to get ourselves ready for. We took a couple chances and defended the box as well as we could and ended up getting a result.

On the team’s mentality this season:
It’s just an overall toughness and I think adding the experienced guys that know how to win and have won in the league helps a lot. For example, Ozi and Ike, obviously huge, the positivity coming from Ike that last ten minutes about ‘we’re almost there fellas, we can see the finish line, it’s right there.’ It honestly kept me going. It helped pushed me through and I was exhausted. These guys have been there. They’re battle tested, they know how to win and i think that just gives the other guys a lot of confidence.

Minnesota United Defender Michael Boxall

On the team’s overall performancez:
“Obviously it means a lot to us as after the last two we dropped through. I think we lacked a little bit of effort for the full 90 minutes the last two games and we had a point to prove today and I think we really grinded it out against a useful Red Bull team who’ve got a lot of useful players. Obviously they have their own struggles but it’s a big three points for us.

On earning nine points in their five-game stretch away from home:
“Before we started we, obviously it’s not an easy stretch to go away from home with this amount of games, but we kind of set those targets at the beginning and then we got 6 from the first two games we kind of pushed it up a little bit and then maybe a little complacent in the next to and then had to put things right. So, it’s good to have a bit of momentum into opening our new stadium next week.”