HARRISON, N.J. – A team missing its biggest names proved, collectively, to be the star on Sunday as the short-handed New York Red Bulls played their system perfectly in a 2-0 win over league-leading Atlanta United. It was a win that showed the Red Bulls’ balance and a definitive style mattered more than who was or wasn’t available to start the match.



The three points by New York tightens the race for the Supporters Shield, drawing the Red Bulls to within a point of Atlanta in the competition for the Supporters’ Shield. Without Bradley Wright-Phillips (yellow card suspension) and Tyler Adams (back injury), the Red Bulls were underdogs against an Atlanta side with plenty of big-name players of its own.



The result was another success for a Red Bulls’ system that is, by design, adaptable to personnel but stringent in its execution. It’s a tactical approach that may lack style points but isn’t dependent on any individual...