Red Bulls star Emil Forsberg stuns Toronto FC with ice-cold MLS double | OneFootball

Emil Forsberg did not need to shout. His captaincy was in the touch, the pass, the correct movement in the correct place. With two goals, the Swedish midfielder sealed the win over Toronto FC and gained three additional points for the New York Red Bulls.

What Forsberg showed in this match is the kind of performance that separates good players from difference-makers. In the first half, he scored the penalty with the calm of a man playing at home. Six shots, six goals. The figure doesn't scream, but it speaks loud enough. In the second half, after Toronto equalized with their first real opportunity, he showed up again. Took the ball in the box, turned, placed his shot. Goal. Win.

"Today we could see all of Emil's quality," said coach Sandro Schwarz. And he wasn't wrong. Forsberg was the team's anchor, continuing on the ball, staying involved, taking up spaces, and stepping it up a gear when the match needed it. And it did. The Red Bulls had been controlling the match, but all it took was one mistake for Toronto to level, a simple cross, finished in the box.

Yet the response was immediate. And that's where the team's mentality kicked in, something that Forsberg worked to draw out: "The mentality we showed was great and something we can build on." No, that is not locker room talk. The Red Bulls reasserted their lead naturally, without panic, and dictated play until the final whistle.

Stats backing up the moment

Forsberg's recent form speaks for itself. He has eight goal contributions in his last eight regular-season MLS matches. He now has four contributions in two matches against Toronto FC alone. On Saturday, he scored goals number two and three on the season, and 12th overall in MLS.

It was also his third multi-goal league match. Those don't just start occurring by coincidence. They are the result of a player who became very rapidly adjusted, figured out the league, and eased into a leadership role very nicely. There isn't an ounce of hype in suggesting he's one of the more consistent names on the squad and one of the most feared by any respective foe.

Marcucci makes debut and wins

Another highlight was the MLS debut of AJ Marcucci. The goalkeeper made his first appearance for the Red Bulls and walked off the field with his first professional victory in the league. Not needing to make any highlight-reel saves, he was calm in the few instances that he was tested. Schwarz kept it simple but heartfelt: "He showed us a lot in his first MLS match, and it's great to see him and give him those three points."

Marcucci is now part of a rotation that could prove to be critical over the span of the season. Having a young keeper that can come in and perform is a huge bonus when it really counts.

Home dominance over Toronto

If there is one location where the Red Bulls feel at ease against Toronto FC, it is at home. The outcome on Saturday enhanced their regular-season home record against Toronto to 18 wins, 2 draws, and only 2 losses. The win also extended their home unbeaten streak against Toronto to eight straight matches.

That's a level of dominance that's hard to ignore. No matter the form either team is in, when this fixture rolls into the Sports Illustrated Stadium, the Red Bulls dominate. This time was no different.