Red Bulls snap 4-game losing streak vs. 9-man RSL

HARRISON, N.J. (AP) Instead of snapping their longest losing streak since 2010 with a breakout effort, the New York Red Bulls left many wondering whether they are back on track.

Mike Grella scored in the fourth minute and the Red Bulls ended a five-year high, four-game losing streak with a 1-0 victory over short-handed Real Salt Lake on Wednesday night.

While a win is a win, the Red Bulls (4-7-5) beat a team that lost two players to red cards in the opening 55 minutes.

''It's a frustrating game to go about playing against nine men and not being able to get that second goal,'' Red Bulls captain Dax McCarty said. ''That's unacceptable, so we have a lot of work to do on the attacking end. But three points is all that matters.''

The Red Bulls outshot Real Salt Lake 23-4 and probably would have scored more had not goalkeeper Nick Rimando made six saves, including three outstanding ones with his team two men down.

''It was very tough, but not close to what it was for the guys in front of me,'' Rimando said. ''Those guys' commitment and discipline showed a lot of pride out there.''

Real Salt Lake coach Jeff Cassar had mixed thoughts on the red cards to captain Javier Morales in the 40th minute and defender Demar Phillips in the 55th.

Cassar said referee David Gantar didn't call a foul against Morales for his tackle on Felipe on a long ball just over midfield. The red card came after the foul was called by the fourth official, Jose Carlos Rivero. He said the call against Phillips was ''extremely weak and awful,'' adding his defender made a good tackle on Connor Lade.

''No one got hurt and we got a red card,'' Cassar said. ''It's just unacceptable.''

Kemar Lawrence and Sean Davis set up Grella's goal that gave the Red Bulls their second win (2-5-3) in the last 10 games.

Red Bulls goalkeeper Luis Robles made a half-the-field pass that Bradley Wright-Phillips fed to Lawrence on the left wing. His deep crossing pass was re-directed by Davis to Grella at the far post for a shot into an open net for his fourth goal of the season.

Davis laughed about his first assist.

''I let it come across my body,'' Davis said. ''I don't hit it completely right but I tried to get it to the back post and luckily Grella was there to clean it up.''

Grella said playing against a team that is two-men down can be tough.

''At this point in the season and at this point for our team a win is a win,'' Grella said. ''It's not as easy as people might think against nine men. They bunker in, they make it difficult and slow the game down. It seems like it is easy to score but it becomes quite difficult. We're very happy with the result and we'll move on.''

Robles had to make one save in posting his third shutout of the season and 23rd of his career.

The Red Bulls played without midfielders Sacha Kljestan (red card) and Lloyd Sam (groin). Real Salt Lake (5-6-6) was without midfielder Kyle Beckerman (yellow card accumulation) and striker Alvaro Saborio (international duty).