HARRISON, NJ — AJ Marcucci denied Pedrinho on FC Dallas’ fifth and final penalty shot to settle a 2-2 draw and cap the New York Red Bulls’ comeback victory to advance to the quarterfinals at the US Open Cup on Wednesday night at Sports Illustrated Stadium.
The Red Bulls won the five-round shootout 4-3, with Luciano Acosta’s opening Panenka attempt rattling off the crossbar to give the hosts an immediate advantage. However, Wiki Carmona’s attempt in the third round was turned away by Dallas goalkeeper Maarten Paes.
Daniel Edelman and Emil Forsberg converted their attempts before Pedrinho’s shot toward the right of the goal was saved comfortably by a diving Marcucci.
Forsberg saved the Red Bulls’ skins off the bench when his free kick from the edge of the box in the third minute of second-half stoppage time deflected off the Dallas wall and rolled past the out-of-position goalkeeper, Maarten Paes, who could only shrug his shoulders while on his knees as the ball crossed the goal line to draw things level at two goals apiece to force extra time.
He came on in the 64th minute as a substitute, just one minute after New York tied the game at one through Mohammed Sofo, only to watch as Luciano Acosta put Dallas up 2-1 in the 78th minute.
Bernard Kamungo put Dallas ahead in the 28th minute when he finished a perfect lay-off pass at the edge of the box from Petar Musa. The forward entered the left side of the box and sent a right-footed curling effort inside the right post, past Red Bulls keeper AJ Marcucci.
Wiktor Bogacz should have drawn the Red Bulls level four minutes later in the 32nd minute off a Dallas turnover that sent Dennis Gjengaar unevaded down the right wing. His centering ball found the foot of the young Polish striker, but he pulled his chance wide of the right post.
It was the second prominent turnover of the half to give the Red Bulls a golden chance to score an opener. Paes gifted Sofo possession at the edge of the box, but he skied his shot over the crossbar in the 24th minute.
Sofo found the back of the net to draw the Red Bulls level in the 63rd minute when he got on the end of Daniel Edelman’s shot, which was blocked and found the forward just outside the six-yard box. He finished under a sprawling Paes — his last contribution of the night, as he was immediately subbed off for Cameron Harper.
His removal was a part of a triple change, which also featured the introductions of Forsberg and Eric Choupo-Moting.
It was Dallas, though, who went back in front 12 minutes from time thanks to a brilliant turn from Acosta that got him in alone against Marcucci. The finish was simple, as he buried his right-footed shot into the top-right corner, giving the New York keeper no chance.
Forsberg nearly had a second free-kick goal in the 114th minute after he was fouled on the edge of the box — a lengthy discourse resulted in a red card for Dallas’ Ramiro in the process — but his searing shot was saved at the right post by Paes.
The result extends Dallas’ remarkable drought against New York. It has not beaten the Red Bulls in 13 years and has not won in New York/New Jersey in 19 years.
