The game in 100 words (or less): The New York Red Bulls claimed the Supporters’ Shield as the team with the best regular season record in Major League Soccer. With tonight’s 2-1 win over the Chicago Fire, the Red Bulls finish the year with a record of W18-L10-D6, good for 60 points. While FC Dallas also finished with 60 points, RBNY earns the Supporters’ Shield by having a better goal differential. It’s the second Supporters’ Shield for the club, who now have a bye in the first round of the playoffs. For Chicago, the Fire finish with 30 points and the worst record in MLS.
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Three moments that mattered
8′ — BWP scores his 17th of the season — Bradley Wright-Phillips scored one of his easiest goals of the season to give RBNY an early lead. Sacha Kljestan played in a corner kick that was flicked on through the box, where BWP stood unmarked for a simple tap-in, his 17th goal of the year.
35′ — Kljestan converts the penalty for RBNY — Mike Grella drew a penalty for the Red Bulls, and Sacha Kljestan stepped up to the spot. Fire goalkeeper Alec Kann went the wrong way as Kljestan and RBNY went up 2-0.
78′ — Gilberto gets Chicago on the board — Chicago looked better in the second half and was rewarded with a late goal from Gilberto. The goal gave the Fire hope as they tirelessly pressed for and equalizer, but they couldn’t find that all important second goal.
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Man of the match: Sacha Kljestan
Goalscorers: B. Wright-Phillips (8′), Kljestan (PEN 35′), Gilberto (78′)