Six saves from Horvath were the defining contribution of a goalless Saturday night at Lumen Field, as New York Red Bulls held Seattle Sounders to a 0-0 draw in MLS Regular Season matchday 23. Seattle dominated territorially, firing 20 shots to Red Bulls’ nine, but Horvath consistently stood firm to keep the visitors in the game. Both teams pick up a point that does little to shift their standing in congested conference tables.
Key Moments
- 38′, Kossa-Rienzi forced off early for Seattle, with Brunell coming on to cover at the back.
- 45′, Donkor picked up a yellow card for a foul just before the break, adding early disciplinary concern for Red Bulls.
- 45′, Morris also came off at halftime, replaced by Gomez as Brian Schmetzer shuffled his attack.
- 50′, Che booked for a foul five minutes into the second half, giving Red Bulls two yellows in the opening quarter of an hour after the restart.
- 63′, Bazán picked up a third yellow for the visitors, leaving Michael Bradley’s side walking a disciplinary tightrope.
- 67′, Bradley responded with a double substitution: Cowell and Ruvalcaba came off, Harper and Choupo-Moting entered as Red Bulls pushed for a goal.
- 74′, Two more changes for Red Bulls: Mehmeti and Sofo replaced by Ruíz and Forsberg.
- 81′, Rothrock received a yellow card for Seattle before being substituted three minutes later, replaced by Arriola.
Tactical Breakdown
Seattle controlled possession at 52 percent and generated the clearer opportunities, posting 20 total shots with 15 arriving from inside the box and six on target. Brian Schmetzer’s 4-2-3-1 created a high volume of chances, but finishing was the problem. Rusnák was Seattle’s most consistent presence in midfield, linking play and driving forward, while Joveljić occupied the lone striker role without reward.
The turning point tactically came in the second half when Michael Bradley burned through his substitution quota quickly, making five changes between the 67th and 81st minute. The arrivals of Choupo-Moting and Harper at 67 minutes gave Red Bulls more presence up front, and Forsberg came on at 74 to offer creativity in tight spaces. None of it produced a shot on goal, though the changes did help Red Bulls manage their way through a disciplinary crisis, as three yellow cards in the first 63 minutes of the second period put the visitors in a precarious position.
For Red Bulls, the night essentially came down to Horvath. Seattle’s 15 shots from inside the box were met by six saves from the goalkeeper, who was consistently called into action throughout. Without that performance, Bradley’s side likely returns to the East with a defeat. Red Bulls’ own attacking output, just nine shots with four on target, was thin against a Seattle backline that conceded little space in transition.
Player Ratings
Match Context
Standings
Head To Head
Verdict
The draw leaves Seattle at 28 points in 13th place in the Western Conference, still five points outside the playoff picture, while Red Bulls sit 10th in the East at 28 points, two off the postseason line. Neither team moves the needle much with this result. Both remain in contention but will need more than this kind of output to push themselves into the playoff spots with the regular season tightening.