New York Red Bulls vs FC Cincinnati

The Red Bulls came from behind to grab a comfortable 4-2 victory over Cincinnati at Sports Illustrated Stadium in an entertaining second-half display. After a cagey first half that ended level, New York turned up the heat after the break and pulled away decisively. Ronald Donkor was the standout performer, orchestrating the hosts' attacking play with a composed display that earned him the official man of the match rating. Cincinnati had their chances—they matched the Red Bulls' shot count at 17 apiece and even had six corner kicks to exploit—but couldn't maintain their early momentum once the home side found their rhythm. It was a result that felt inevitable once New York seized control of the second period. The visitors will rue a performance that started promisingly but petered out when they needed to dig in. For the Red Bulls, this was a timely reminder of their attacking prowess, especially with Donkor pulling the strings in midfield. Three points against a side like Cincinnati matters in this league, and they'll head into the next match with real confidence.

New York Red Bulls beat FC Cincinnati 4-2 at Sports Illustrated Stadium, and the numbers from the match back up how the game played out. New York Red Bulls also had the better share of the ball, holding 52% possession, which usually goes hand in hand with the extra control a winning side tends to show. The shot count told a similar story, with 18 attempts from New York Red Bulls against 17 from FC Cincinnati over the course of the game. FC Cincinnati had their moments and did not make it easy from start to finish, but ultimately came up short on the day. Small margins like this one tend to add up over a season, and results such as this are often what separates teams in the table further down the line. Here is a closer look at exactly how the two sides compared, statistically.