HARRISON, NJ — Another night in which the New York Red Bulls held a clear advantage in attacking play ends with just one point as a second-half brace from Josef Martinez allowed CF Montreal to come back from one-goal deficits twice to earn a 2-2 draw.
A Wiki Carmona 18th-minute goal was canceled out by a Martinez free kick in the 67th minute.
New York found a reply from a Montreal own goal off a corner kick in the 75th minute, but a Sean Nealis red card awarded the visitors a penalty in which Martinez slotted home eight minutes from time.
The result extends New York’s unbeaten run to seven straight games, though this is its sixth draw during that stretch (1W-6D-0L). They remain in fourth place in the Eastern Conference. It also extended its home unbeaten streak to 14 games in all competitions — the second-longest in franchise history.
The Red Bulls held a heavy advantage in attacking verve against Montreal, which sits in 11th in the Eastern Conference. New York outshot the visitors 14-6 on the night, which included a 7-0 advantage in the first half. Following a nearly two-hour delay due to severe weather in the area, the Red Bulls could not see the three points over the finish line.
Carmona’s opener came from his left foot outside of the box — a low shot that was perfectly placed considering it had an expected goals percentage (xG%) of just 4%. The goal, though, was just the latest suggestion that the Venezuelan is taking major steps forward in New York.
In his previous three seasons with the Red Bulls, the 21-year-old midfielder scored just two goals in 44 MLS appearances. His tally on Wednesday night was already his third of the season in his 22nd appearance.
Dylan Nealis, who had the assist on Carmona’s goal, nearly had a second helper just four minutes later in the 22nd minute when he played Lewis Morgan into the box. But the club’s leading scorer was turned away by Montreal keeper Jonathan Sirois in what was the only other Red Bulls shot on target.
Dante Vanzier epitomized a half of missed opportunities, missing two golden chances to add to the host’s opening output. In the eighth minute, New York’s high press paid off when Sirois turned the ball over to Vanzeir in the box, but the Belgian skied the chance over the bar.
In the 44th minute, he found himself on the end of a return ball into the Montreal box off a Red Bulls free kick, gaining possession just six yards from goal with only Sirois to beat. Yet, somehow, Vanzeir pulled the chance horribly wide of the left post.
Montreal’s first shot of the night did not come until the 67th minute, but it was the equalizer. A free kick from just outside the box by Martinez was deflected by a Red Bulls defender and past goalkeeper Carlos Coronel.
The Red Bulls found a quick answer in the 75th minute when a Cameron Harper corner sent toward the back post was deflected by Montreal’s Mathieu Choiniere and into the back of the net.
That lead would last all of two minutes, though, as Sean Nealis conceded a penalty that was considered a clear denial of a goal-scoring opportunity. After initially being issued a yellow, VAR deemed it was a red-card offense and he was ejected from the match in the 81st minute.
Martinez stepped up and slotted the penalty into the right side of the goal to level things for Montreal in the 82nd minute.
Coronel made two vital saves in the final minutes to keep things level, but Morgan nearly plucked a winner in the final seconds, getting on the end of a through ball into the right of the Montreal box. His tough-angled shot, however, hit the post.
For more on the Red Bulls, visit AMNY.com
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