The night started off so promisingly for the New York Red Bulls. Dominating possession, it was clear that head coach Chris Armas felt the importance of starting the fixture off on the right foot; his side came out of the gates pressuring Santos, as they struggled to establish any sort of possession in their attacking third.
The fans who made the trek in the cold weather to Red Bull Arena might have thought they would have something to cheer about early on, but the Red Bulls struggled to capitalize on the chances the created.