TORONTO, ON – New York Designated Player Rafa Marquez had a hand in two goals, including recording his first MLS tally off a spectacular 25-yard shot to open the scoring, as the Red Bulls snapped Toronto FC’s 17-game MLS home unbeaten streak with a resounding 4-1 win Saturday afternoon in front of 22,108 at BMO Field. The victory extended the second place Red Bulls’ lead over third place Toronto FC to eight points. New York, which also got goals from Juan Pablo Angel and Carl Robinson, earned its 10th win of the season and now has 34 points off a 10-7-4 record.
Angel looked to open his account in the 11th minute when he nodded a Tony Tchani delivery just past the goalmouth. A minute later, Toronto FC striker Mista created space at the top of the penalty box and curled an attempt towards the back post that goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul pushed away.
In the 15th minute, Nick LaBrocca had the best chance up to that point, as he volleyed a New York clearance past Coundoul and off the left post. Soon after, Tchani slid it to an open Dane Richards and he had enough space to fire a shot inches wide. Mista again nearly drew first blood for the hosts, knocking a deflected attempt that looped over Coundoul’s head and nearly went in. LaBrocca tried his luck from 20 yards out later in the interval and Coundoul had to dive to punch it away.
Those missed chances would come back to haunt Toronto FC, as New York took the lead off a stunning Marquez strike in the 35th minute. The ball bounced out to Tchani, who found Marquez outside of the 18-yard box. The Mexican Designated Player one-timed a swerving rocket that beat Toronto goalkeeper Stefan Frei and nestled into the back of the net.
New York doubled its lead six minutes later and Marquez was again involved, swinging in a free kick from the right wing that bounced in the box and was inadvertently knocked in by Reds midfielder Joseph Nane.
Toronto FC would reduce its deficit to one four minutes into the second half. O’Brian White found Dwayne De Rosario deep in New York’s end and the Canadian international created enough space to blast it into the back of the net at the near post.
However, the visitors would extend their lead to 3-1 in the 61st minute. Richards curled in a cross from the right wing that Toronto FC defender Nana Attakora handled in the 18-yard box. New York earned a penalty kick, which was converted by Angel for his Eastern Conference-leading 12th goal of the season, while Attakora was ejected when he was shown a red card.
Three minutes after coming on as a substitute in his return to Toronto, Robinson, who spent three seasons with the Reds before joining New York, made it 4-1, heading the ball into an empty net after Frei could not haul in a cross that was put into the box.
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