Red Bulls II Dominate in Win
Written by cupor1 on May 19, 2025
By: Luke Cirianni
The New York Red Bulls II returned home to MSU Soccer Park to take on the Eastern Conference Rivals New England Revolution II, and they would dominate with a 4-1 victory. This win meant even more because of the standings prior to the match, which were highlighted by a four-way tie for third place in the table.
“I think there’s still a long way to go,” Coach Ibrahim Sekagya said when asked about the tight standings going into the game. “Now we celebrate today’s win, and next week is going to be another game which won’t be easy.”
New York set the tone in the first half, with Tanner Rosborough scoring his first-ever brace in MLS Next Pro, and tied for the second-ever fastest brace for New York Red Bulls II, scoring in the 37’ and 40’.
“I’m very happy with my performance,” said Rosborough after the game. “It’s my first brace in (MLS) Next Pro.”
“He (Tanner Rosborough) gives you 100% every game,” Coach Sekagya said. “We didn’t have a lot of chances, but he finished them.”
Rosborough was the clear standout of this match, along with Steven Sserwadda, who played behind Rosborough on the right-hand side. There was a five way tie going into the game for the highest scorer on the team, and Rosborough’s two goals put him first on his team with four. When asked about it, Rosborough gave more credit to his teammates around him.
“With all my goals this year, there’s been great passes for me, but it was a close race. A lot of guys on this team can score. I think that’s one of the biggest things for our front line, is just to make that extra pass. We always help each other out.”
This match will be unforgettable for starting striker Mijahir Jiménez, who extended the score to 3-0 in the 66’ by scoring his first goal in the Red Bulls II colors. Jiménez was seen leaving MSU Soccer Park with the match ball he scored with, creating a lasting memory in his second appearance with the team.
The New England Revolution II responded just 10 minutes later, with Enzo Gonçalves scoring off the bench to make it 3-1 for New York. It was a quiet game for Aidan Stokes in net, only logging three saves on the day. The backline did their job, and so did the offense.
Another bright spot for New York was Argentinian Benedetti Nehuen off the bench, logging two assists on the day. To add the cherry on top for the Red Bulls II, substitute Copeland Berkley was able to add the fourth and final goal on the day.
The Red Bulls II finished the game with 62% possession, and had a huge margin over New England in shots, 15 to 8. Possession was key for the New York Red Bulls II, executing 82% of their passes accurately, over 367 attempted passes. This was a huge bounce back win after their 5-2 loss vs NYCFC II.
“We talked about the importance of this match going into today,” said Sekagya. “It was a good win to get after losing last week’s classico.”
The Red Bulls undefeated streak continues at home in the 2025 season, 4-0 at MSU Soccer Park. They had amazing support in the stands, including first team player Serge Ngoma to cheer the team on. The Red Bulls will travel to Ohio to face the Columbus Crew II in their next match.
