Chicago and finishing the season with more points
than any other MLS team.
The New York Red Bulls came in for plenty of criticism in the
offseason, firing fan favorite Mike Petke and bringing in
Jesse Marsch as the new head coach. There's not much to
complain about now.
A 2-1 victory Sunday over the Chicago Fire took the Red
Bulls to 60 points, giving them the Supporters' Shield
awarded to the team that finishes the regular season with
the most points. The Red Bulls and FC Dallas both finished
with 60, but the Eastern Conference champion took the prize
thanks to a superior goal difference.
"I think that this group deserves the Supporters' Shield,"
Marsch said after the match. "I think that in a lot of ways
they were the best team throughout the season, they
showed that I think, game in and game out. Obviously the
points add up to mean that we're there. So I'm happy for
them to reach this achievement.
"I said on television, 'In life you don't always get what you
deserve,' but here I think they got what they deserve. Now
the key is to know that moving forward the next month, we
all start from scratch. And actually what it may mean is, we
have an even bigger target on our backs. We have to enjoy
tonight but absolutely be ready for Monday morning,
because it's back to business.
The Shield also guarantees homefield advantage throughout
the playoffs, with the Red Bulls now having the right to host
the MLS Cup final at Red Bull Arena on Dec. 6 should the
Red Bulls reach that stage.
The Marsch era started well, with the Red Bulls kicking off
the season with seven matches undefeated. Late May and
early June saw a dip in form from the side, with four
consecutive defeats during that time, but the squad bounced
back by following each of the five defeats it tasted the rest
of the season with a victory.
Bradley Wright-Phillips couldn't match last year's Golden
Boot-winning haul of 27 goals but led the team with 17,
while offseason acquisition Sacha Kljestan, who scored
from the spot against the Fire, had 13 assists.
The Red Bulls also got a boost from left back Kemar
Lawrence joining from Harbour View and having a breakout
season, while Matt Miazga has developed into one of the
league's most promising center backs. And alongside
Kljestan in the midfield, Dax McCarty also has kept things
ticking.
It is the second Supporters' Shield in three years for the Red
Bulls after they lifted the trophy in 2013 with 59 points.
"It's huge. It's very significant," McCarty said. "Obviously
this one means a lot, just like the first one did. But I think
this one, you know, for me, it's special for different reasons
obviously than the first one, for sure.
"No one expecting much from us this year. A lot of people
wrote us off in the beginning. A lot of people gave us no
chance to be part of the post season, now we are here."
"Statistically speaking, we are the best team in the league
after the regular season," he continued.
"It's a great feeling, and it's part of our goal setting for the
year that's been accomplished. We have another big goal
that we are dreaming of now.
"Now we can forget the regular season and go on
toward the playoffs. It's hard to put into words, but it means
a lot to this group. We are like a family, and it's a just
reward for the way that we've played the season."
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