RED BULLS FINALLY STAND UP TO SPORTING KC

This was perhaps the most encouraging lesson of the night for New York.

One can argue Sporting KC did not display the drive from their last two encounters but remember – the Supporters Shield was still within their grasp. Credit New York for slowing down the beast of the East. The Red Bulls defense nullified their famed wing attack while simultaneously allowing another new look midfield in Dax McCarty (on the left!), Teemu Tainio, Tim Cahill and Lloyd Sam to link up and expose the Roger Espinoza-less Sporting KC gut.

And don’t let the scoreline fool you – had it not been for Jimmy The Cat in net, this scoreline could have been a different story. Just ask Hans Backe.

“Over 90 minutes, very intense, a lot of energy, many, many chances to score and of course we should have won the game, 3-0, 4-0,” Backe said postgame. “That should have been the normal result.”

It may not have been the “normal” result, but it was still quite impressive.