Post-Game Notes: Kaku’s Fifth Career GWG Helps New York Defeat Toronto

New York Red Bulls 2, Toronto FC 0

MLS Regular Season Match 30

Saturday, September 22, 2018 – 5 p.m. ET

Red Bull Arena | Harrison, N.J.

NY – Kaku 5 (unassisted) 70’

NY – Derrick Etienne, Jr. 4 (Wright-Phillips) 90’+3’

NY – Michael Amir Murillo (caution, unsporting behavior) 66’

NY – Bradley Wright-Phillips (caution, dissent) 86’

TOR – Ashtone Morgan (caution, unsporting behavior) 90’+2’

New York Red Bulls: Luis Robles ©; Aaron Long, Michael Amir Murillo, Tim Parker, Kemar Lawrence, Tyler Adams, Sean Davis, Daniel Royer (Derrick Etienne, Jr., 67’), Kaku (Fidel Escobar, 82’), Marc Rzatkowski (Alex Muyl, 65’), Bradley Wright-Phillips

TOTAL SHOTS: 11; SHOTS ON GOAL: 7; FOULS: 13; OFFSIDE: 3; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 4

Toronto FC: Alex Bono; Chris Mavinga (Eriq Zavaleta, 75’), Michael Bradley ©, Nick Hagglund, Victor Vazquez, Marco Delgado (Ashtone Morgan, 86’), Jonathan Osorio, Gregory van der Wiel, Justin Morrow, Jozy Altidore (Tosaint Ricketts, 49’), Lucas Janson

TOTAL SHOTS: 12; SHOTS ON GOAL: 4; FOULS: 7; OFFSIDE: 1; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 5

Referee: Kevin Stott

Assistant Referees: Brian Poeschel, Kathryn Nesbitt

4th Official: Chris Penso

VAR: Caleb Mendez

Attendance: 20,731

• Kaku’s fifth career MLS game-winning goal led New York Red Bulls (18-7-5, 59 pts) past Toronto FC (8-15-6, 30 pts), 2-0 on Saturday night at Red Bull Arena. New York shutout Toronto in a home-and-home series for the first time in the series history.
• With four matches remaining, the Red Bulls 18 wins tied the franchise record set in 2015. New York tallied their 18^th win in 2015 on Decision Day.
• New York and Atlanta both won their Saturday matches to keep the Red Bulls four points from Atlanta’s Supporters’ Shield and Eastern Conference lead.
• With a scoreless draw late in the second half, Kaku got his foot on a loose ball inside the six-yard box and snuck it past Michael Bradley and Alex Bono for the eventual game winner in the 70^th.
• In extra time, Bradley Wright-Phillips lofted a ball over Eriq Zavaleta for Derrick Etienne, Jr., who chipped his shot over Bono for the insurance goal.
• All five of Kaku’s league goals have been game winners. He has two goals in the last four matches.
• Wright-Phillips recorded his eighth league assist of the season, surpassing his previous best of seven set in 2015.
• Etienne Jr. tallied his fourth goal of the season.
• Captain Luis Robles recorded four saves for his 11^th clean sheet of the season. Robles sits second in MLS behind Sporting KC’s Tim Melia’s league-best 12.
• Robles’ 11 clean sheets ties his career best. It is the third time in his career with 11 shutouts, also reaching the mark in 2013 and 2016.
• New York’s captain moved into a tie with Tony Meola for eighth in league history with 97 wins. He also raised his career clean sheet total to 60.
• The Red Bulls are now 40-44-19 all-time in the month of September. New York has scored 153 goals while allowing 168 during the eighth month of the year.
• New York concludes its two-match homestand against Atlanta United on Sunday, Sept. 30. Coverage begins at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and New York Red Bulls Radio in English and Spanish on TuneIn.