Rochester drops its first game ever to the Red Bulls 2.
MONTCLAIR, N.J. – Stefano Bonomo recorded a goal and assist as the New York Red Bulls 2 defeated the Rochester Rhinos, 2-1, on Saturday afternoon at MSU Soccer Park. The win marked the first regulation victory for the New York against the Rhinos.
The Red Bulls 2 (8-11-3, 27 points) took the lead in just the fifth minute as Stefano Bonomo got to a through-ball by Florian Valot, and sent the ball beyond Tomas Gomez, which Arun Basuljevic then tucked into the net from a narrow angle. New York then had the better of the first half, and Noah Powder hit the crossbar in the 42nd minute, and the hosts got a man-advantage two minutes later as Rochester’s Joe Farrell received a second yellow card.
The Red Bulls II’s Junior Flemmings almost took advantage of the man-advantage early in the second half, but it was a defensive error that let in Bonomo to make it 2-0 in the 55th minute as he sent a low shot to the left corner.
The Rhinos (8-4-8, 32 points) grabbed a lifeline in the 70th minute as Wal Fall converted from the penalty spot after Darius Madison was ruled to have been brought down in the penalty area.
Both sides were reduced by a man with seven minutes to go as Rochester’s Kenardo Forbes and New York’s Basuljevic were both sent off after an altercation in midfield, but the Red Bulls 2 held on late against the nine-man Rhinos’ efforts to find an equalizer to claim all three points.