Dennis Gjengaar could have had a hat trick.
The New York Red Bulls’ winger scored the equalizing goal in the 47th minute of Saturday’s 2-2 draw against Orlando at Sports Illustrated Stadium. Fifteen minutes later, he forced a turnover at midfield and was in on goal alone, but his shot was just nicked by Orlando keeper Pedro Gallese, which sent the ball wide of the left post.
“A lot of curse words [were running through my head],” Gjengaar said. “I just wanted to get another chance as soon as possible.”
In the 85th minute, he did, curling a left-footed shot — his weaker foot — from the right side of the box off the left post.
“I hit it as perfect as I could have, I think,” he continued. “Unlucky, I guess.”
Luck has had little to do with the impact made by the 21-year-old Norwegian, who has been called upon to step in for the injured Cameron Harper after injuring his knee in the home opener on March 1. After playing more of a wing-back role in Matchweek 3 against Atlanta, he served as more of a traditional winger on Saturday against Orlando, where he worked with a pair of proven European veterans in midfielder Emil Forsberg and striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting.
The trio was bright, with Gjengaar part of the build-up that sent Choupo-Moting into the Orlando box in the 25th minute. This eventually saw the former PSG and Bayern Munich striker taken down and awarded a penalty after VAR, which he converted to tie the match and tally his first goal with the Red Bulls.
“[Winger] suits me a lot more,” Gjengaar said. “I get the whole right side to just run up and down and show my fitness and show my speed.”
Speed was the reason he was drawn into the starting lineup in the first place. The Red Bulls needed an infusion of a different type of threat up front after Lewis Morgan suffered a knee injury that requires surgery and will keep him out for the next six weeks.
Given the hold-up play of Choupo-Moting and Forsberg, who can draw in opposing defenses with their ability to keep possession while under pressure, Gjengaar’s pace presented countless opportunities to get behind the Orlando defense. He was left open two minutes into the second half right in front of goal, where he kneed New York’s second and final equalizer of the match — his first goal of the season.
“He has the quality for deep runs and transition moments,” Red Bulls head coach Sandro Schwarz said. “He did it very well. He had very good moments… This is what we need.”
Consistency in such a role would significantly boost such a short-handed New York side. Along with Morgan and Harper, other attacking options in Wiktor Bogacz (back), Mohammed Sofo (groin), and Roald Mitchell (knee) are shelved, as well.
That might not be so difficult to find, at least from Gjengaar’s point of view, and Schwarz and the Red Bulls can further explore this in the coming weeks.
“When you have Choupo and Emil up top when they both want to get on the ball, it’s very easy,” he said. “I have a lot of space to run in.”
