(Photos/Mathew Barsallo, Editor/Parker Songco)
HARRISON, N.J. — The New York Red Bulls couldn't hold off the league's top team, falling 1-0 to Nashville SC on Wednesday night at Sports Illustrated Stadium in the final seconds of the match.
Nashville broke through in the second minute of second-half stoppage time when Cristian Espinoza curled a free kick to the far post, where defender Maxwell Woledzi rose above the Red Bulls back line and headed the ball into the bottom corner. The goal was Woledzi's second of his debut MLS season and proved to be the difference in an otherwise tightly contested match.
Red Bulls goalkeeper Ethan Horvath kept New York in the game with key saves in both halves, while rookie Brian Schwake was called on just once at the other end to preserve the shutout for Nashville.
The result extended Nashville's dominant run to 7-1-1 over its last nine matches and marked the club's first road win over the Red Bulls, snapping an 0-2-2 skid in previous visits to Harrison. It also padded Nashville's lead atop the Supporters' Shield standings.
For the Red Bulls, the loss underscored a recurring theme this season: generating quality chances without consistently finishing them.