FC Cincinnati 2 head to Montclair, New Jersey this Sunday, May 19 to take on New York Red Bulls II at MSU Soccer Park. The two sides faced earlier this season, as Red Bulls II edged out the Orange and Blue by a score of 3-2 at Scudamore Field. FC Cincinnati 2 will look to level the season series with their fifth consecutive win, while Red Bulls II are eyeing their first home win of the year.
Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. ET and can be streamed live on mlsnextpro.com.
FC CINCINNATI 2 at NEW YORK RED BULLS II – SUNDAY, MAY 19, 2024 – 5 P.M. ET – MSU SOCCER PARK
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FC CINCINNATI 2 NOTES
A GREAT START – FC Cincinnati 2 improved to 5-3-1 following their 1-0 win over Columbus Crew 2 Sunday at Lower.com Field. The Orange and Blue are off to their best-ever start to a season, taking 16 points through nine matches.
FCC 2’s 1.78 points per match is fourth best in the Eastern Conference and tied for the seventh highest mark in MLS NEXT Pro entering Matchweek 10.
KEEP IT ROLLING – It is now four straight wins for the Orange and Blue following the team’s trip to Columbus. FC Cincinnati 2 and St. Louis CITY2 both carry a league-leading four-match win streak into Matchweek 10. The Orange and Blue have lost just once since April 10 and have won five of their last six.
DEFENSE STEPPING UP – Defense has fueled the recent run of form for the Orange and Blue. Over the last four matches, FC Cincinnati 2 have allowed just three goals and picked up their first clean sheet of the season against Crew 2.
Defender Brian Schaefer has anchored that defense, playing every minute of the young season and leading MLS NEXT Pro in clearances (38).
A NEW FACE IN CINCINNATI – The Orange and Blue signed Guilherme Santos to an MLS NEXT Pro contract Thursday afternoon, bringing the Brazilian forward to Cincinnati ahead of this Sunday’s match.
Santos arrives from Atlético Mineiro B after spending 2020-24 playing for a number of clubs throughout Brazil. Santos has scored six goals and tallied two assists in 34 total appearances in his time in Brazil.
SCOUTING NEW YORK BULLS II (4-2-3, 17 PTS., 3RD IN EASTERN CONFERENCE)
New York Red Bulls II enter Matchweek 10 following a 3-0 defeat to the hands of Orlando City B on May 8. After a strong start to the season which saw New York win their first four matches, Red Bulls II have dropped two of the last three and have picked up six points over their last six. Despite recent struggles, Red Bulls II still find themselves in the top four.
Red Bulls II forward Roald Mitchell enters Matchweek 10 as MLS NEXT Pro’s leading goal scorer. The first-team player has found the back of the net eight times in five league appearances and leads the team in shots (17) and shots on target (11). Mitchell scored four goals against New England Revolution II on April 14, but hasn’t featured for the MLSNP side since.
Ibrahim Kasule adds a dangerous second option out of midfield for Red Bulls II. Kasule led Red Bulls II in 2023 with 15 goals and five assists and has tallied four goals and two assists in eight appearances in 2024. Kasule pulls the strings in midfield for Red Bulls II and holds a consistent place in the team’s Starting XI.
Red Bulls II were nothing short of dominant in their defensive third in 2023, allowing just 36 goals in 28 matches, tied for the third best mark in MLSNP. Much of last year’s backline remains intact as Juan Gutierrez, Copeland Berkley and Omar Valencia have all made MLSNP appearances in 2024. But Red Bulls II have been shaky in defense this season, allowing 17 goals and have conceded multiple goals in four of their five matches.
Sunday’s match will be Red Bulls II fourth home match of the season after playing six of their first nine on the road. While a strong road record, 4-1-1, has propelled Red Bulls II up the Eastern Conference standings, the team has yet to claim three points at home where they hold a 0-1-2 record when playing at MSU Soccer Park.
Ibrahim Sekagya returns for his second season as Red Bulls II Head Coach. In Red Bulls II first season in MLS NEXT Pro, Sekagya led the team to a fourth-place regular season finish and a trip to the Eastern Conference final with a 14-8-6 record.
