How to describe the New York Red Bulls' latest masterful away performance, a dominant 3-0 win Sunday at Orlando City SC’s Exploria Stadium? Manager Gerhard Struber took a stab at it.
“We were so clear,” Struber said. “We were sharp like a knife in so many moments.”
On a day the Red Bulls held Orlando without a shot on target at home for the first time in nearly five years, they also moved into history-making territory of their own.
Through Luquinhas’ first MLS goal, Cristian Casseres Jr.’s first of the season and Lewis Morgan's team-leading fourth, New York became the first MLS team to win their first four road games since the 1998 LA Galaxy won their first five.
And unlike that Galaxy team – considered by many as one of the better sides in MLS history – three of the Red Bulls’ victories haven’t been close.
While Morgan’s late goal came from the penalty spot, the final score was fully reflective of the afternoon’s proceedings and followed the mold of a 3-1 triumph at San Jose in Week 1 and a 4-1 Week 2 romp at Toronto.
“I think that we’re always up for these challenges, we’re up for the fight, and when we are, we’re at our best,” said defender Aaron Long, attempting to explain. “So I know no one on this team is going to back down in those moments. And when we don’t, we’re really tough to beat.”
Ticket-purchasing Red Bulls supporters might wonder why the same excellence hasn’t transpired at Red Bull Arena, where their side have yet to take all three points.
Long isn’t entirely sure, but he has an idea.
“Maybe it’s a little bit of the other team, when they come into our building, they sit back and they kind of try to slow the game down and look for a tie,” Long said. “And maybe it’s a little bit tougher for us to break them down. Instead of when we’re on the road, these teams are pushing for wins at home and we kind of catch them in transition.”
It’s actually five wins out of five if you include a midweek US Open Cup Third Round triumph at the USL Championship's Hartford Athletic. And it’s also two goals in two matches in all competitions for Morgan, who believes he should have more than four to his MLS total despite playing in a wide midfield or wingback position.
“I’m not happy with the total I have at the moment,” he said postgame. “I actually want more. So that’s something I’m going to keep high demands on.”
The Red Bulls can make it five road wins from five next Saturday at Chicago Fire FC (8 pm ET | MLS LIVE on ESPN+), a team that has conceded only once in their four league matches at Soldier Field.
They can finally get on the board at home against Portland in Week 10. Whether they do, Struber has seen enough from his team in opposing stadiums to believe they’ll treat the home fans eventually.
“The situation that we win at home will come very soon,” Struber said. “I have a very, very good feeling about it.”
