Topics: New York Red Bulls, Mike Grella, Philadelhia Union, Major League Soccer
It is Mike Grella's first season in the MLS. Tim Cahill had the previous record playing for the same team in 2013 (eight seconds).

Mike Grella is about to finish his first season with New York Red Bulls and this Sunday he broke a record of a 20-year-old league by scoring a goal only seven seconds into the game  against Philadelphia Union. The 28-year-old player lead his team's efforts to catch up with FC Dallas at the top of the MLS standings.

Philadelphia got the ball after the toss. As one of their players passed the ball back, Grella made a run for it and took advantage of a lack of concentration by the opposition to take the ball, run around 20-30 meters with it and shoot. His shot got deflected by a defender but luckily for him, that was what allowed the ball to go in.

WATCH: This is a record-setting moment in the history of the MLS

Between the initial kickoff at midfield and Grella's shot finding the back of the net, only seven seconds had gone by, establishing a new record not only for the team, but for the league. It was Grella's eighth goal of the season in a night where he would end up scoring one more 16 minutes later.

In between Grella's two goals, Wright-Phillips scored his 17th goal of the season right before the fifth minute. Then after the goal scored by the former Duke University player, it was Kemar Lawrence who made it 4-0 for the New York Red Bulls with his first MLS goal. Sebastien Le Toux responded for Philly scoring the only goal for his team in the tenth minute of the second half. (4-1)

It was also a big day for Lawrence

Now, the NYRB have clinched the number one seed in the Eastern Conference with 57 points. They are six ahead of D.C. United but with only one game to go. They are tied with FC Dallas in the Supporters Shield race, which crowns the overall winner of the league. The Red Bulls have a better goal differential (18 vs 12).

The coach had kind words for the Man of the Match 

NYRB had plenty of reasons to celebrate this Sunday