Photo Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports of a Rudy Camacho Headshot and a Cory Burke Headshot on May 20, 2023.

Red Bull vs Canada: What We Learned

Originally posted on Last Word On Sports
By Sylvana Budesheim | Last updated 5/24/23

ANALYSIS: Home and away, the New York Red Bulls faced the two Eastern Canadian teams this week. They battled to a scoreless draw midweek against Toronto. Back in Harrison, the Red Bulls defeated Montreal 2-1. This is what you need to know.

Red Bull vs Canada: What We Learned

Our Home and Native Land

Toronto FC has not found much success this season, and are languishing at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. A scoreless draw didn’t move the needle, either. But it’s not like the Red Bulls have much room to talk. There but for the grace of good results go New York. The two recent 1-0 wins bolstered confidence. Troy Lesesne is enjoying his ‘new manager bump’… at home. While there were some good chances, the trip north of the border only garnered one point. The undefeated streak lived on for another game as well as collecting another clean sheet for goalkeeper Carlos Coronel.

We See Thee Rise

Any fan can trace the Red Bulls’ woes to their lack of scoring. Pulling out a last-minute leveler was okay at best, but doesn’t work in the long term. Wins matter. So when New York took the lead not once but twice in the first half, it was pleasant surprise.

#RBNY First half MLS goals 2023:

at ORL 0
v NSH 0
at MNU 0
v CLB 0
at CLT 1
at ATL 0
v SJ 0
v HOU 0
at MTL 0
at CHI 0
v PHI 0
v NYC 0
at TFC 0
v MTL 2

— Mark Fishkin (@MarkFishkin) May 21, 2023

The game could have taken a downturn had VAR not overturned the offside call for striker Cory Burke’s goal in the 38-minute. As it was, the forced delay to celebrate the goal diminished the joy. Lesesne, in his post-match press conference, expressed his relief: “we were creating chances, and luckily we got the right call in our favor.”