Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting scored the tying goal in the 52nd minute, and scored the winner on a penalty kick in the ninth minute of stoppage time after missing a penalty kick 15 minutes earlier as the New York Red Bulls rallied for a 2-1 win over Real Salt Lake on Sunday night in Harrison, N.J.
New York (10-10-6, 36 points) avoided its first three-game losing streak of the season and earned the win thanks to Choupo-Moting’s 14th and 15th goals. Choupo-Moting finished with his fourth two-goal game this season.
Seven of New York’s 24 attempts were on target and Choupo-Moting notched his first goal off a slick feed from Emil Forsberg. Forsberg chipped a pass from near the box by Brayan Vera and Justen Glad and Choupo-Moting finished off his latest goal by sending a right-footed shot past the left hand of diving goalkeeper Rafael Cabral.
Choupo-Moting had a golden chance at giving the Red Bulls the lead after being fouled by Vera but he fanned on the penalty kick and Cabral made an easy save. It was the first time in five career penalty kicks Choupo-Moting did not score.
Choupo-Moting atoned for the missed shot by chipping a shot over Cabral’s left hand after fouled by Glad in the box on a play that was originally ruled offsides before a video review.
Before Choupo-Moting delivered his clutch goal, Real Salt Lake missed a golden chance in the second minute of stoppage time, Rwan Cruz had a shot by New York’s Sean Nealis blocked that went off the crossbar.
Zavier Gozo scored in the third minute but Real Salt Lake attempted seven shots. Real Salt Lake (9-12-4, 31 points) fell to 5-2-1 over its past eight contests after enduring a seven-game winless skid (0-4-3) from May 3-31.
New York goalie AJ Marrucci finished with two saves while Cabral made five saves.
Real Salt Lake went ahead quickly on a transition play started by Diego Luna. Luna fed William Agada near midfield and quickly moved the ball to a cutting Gozo towards the center of the box.
Gozo sped past Sean Nealis and Raheem Edwards and finished the sequence with a right-footed shot that caromed off Marcucci’s right heel and into the right corner of the net.
–Field Level Media
