A LOOK BACK:
U23s: The New York Red Bulls u23 team will open up the NPSL season at home on Saturday at home to New York Athletic Club at Lubetkin Field, NJIT – 6pm Kick off. Admission is free.
“We are very excited to enter the NPSL, which is one of the top men’s amateur leagues in the country. It gives the Red Bulls a chance to keep the top homegrown players through their college careers,” said Academy Director Bob Montgomery. “It will also put the U23s in the shop window to be seen by the Red Bulls First Team staff who will be attending games. We have also scheduled friendly games between the U23s and the First Team during the summer.”
The team’s roster will include the core players from the 2009 Super-20 League National Championship team that defeated Chivas USA 7-0 in the final.
Notable players on the roster include goalkeeper Sheldon Parkinson (Mercer County College), defender Connor Lade (St Johns), midfielder Matt Kassell (Maryland), midfielder Widner Saint Cyr (Maryland), and forward John Tardy (St. Johns).
The league has 32 teams from around the country competing in four conferences. The New York Red Bulls will join the Atlantic Division of the Northeast Conference. The Boston Tea Men, Brooklyn Italians, Long Island Academy, Morris County Colonials, New York Athletic Club, and New Hampshire Mountaineers comprise the remainder of the Atlantic Division. The Red Bulls will play home and away fixtures with each divisional team for a total of 12 regular season games. Division champions will compete in Conference Championship on July 17 or 18, with the winner advancing the National Finals from July 29–31.
U18s: The Red Bulls U18s scored a late goal from Mike Innocenzi (Franklin Lakes, NJ) in the 87th minute to secure three points in a 1-0 win over Albertson SC on Sunday, May 16 in US Developmental Academy play. The Red Bulls controlled the majority of possession in the first half but could not get on the scoreboard. Innocenzi nearly opened the scoring in the 33rd minute, but his shot from 25 yards out rebounded off the crossbar.
“Mike Innocenzi was simply outstanding today,” stated U18 head coach Paul O’Donnell. “In the first half he was superb at beating numerous players and he created several scoring chances for us with great crosses into the box. The winner he scored for us was well deserved, his work rate and energy today were phenomenal.”
With the score still deadlocked at 0-0 late in the second half and the Red Bulls pressing for the winner, Victor Manosalvas (Clifton, NJ) was taken down in the box in the 80th minute after beating two Albertson defenders, but the ensuing penalty kick was denied by the Albertson goalkeeper. However, in the 87th minute the U18s got the winner from Innocenzi. Oscar Gonzalez (Clifton, NJ) headed a poor clearance over the Albertson defenders for Innocenzi to run onto and calmly chip over the oncoming Albertson goalkeeper. Red Bulls goalkeeper, Keith Cardona (Glen Rock, NJ), came up with several big saves to preserve the victory for the Red Bulls.
Lineup: Cardona, Ehrenworth (Freeman 69’), Adler, Hot, Garcia, Brode (Manosalvas 46’), Gurel, Najem (Ahn 73’), Innocenzi, O. Gonzalez (Velasquez 88’), Lyle (Mencia 58’).
Subs not used: Bonder, Battistesa..
Goal: Mike Innocenzi (Oscar Gonzalez) ’87.
U16s: The U16s jumped out to a 2-0 lead against Albertson on Sunday, May 16 on goals from Oscar Castillo (Brooklyn, NY) and Darwin Cruz (Jersey City, NJ) and went on to post a 2-1 win in US Development Academy play. Cruz and Danny Bartok (Union, NJ) recorded the assists on the goals. The team played very well and controlled most of the game before conceding a late goal.
Lineup: Brown, Ceron, Alvarado, Orsaris, Miazga, Akinyode, Raytsin(Bziukiewicz), Castillo (Munoz), Cruz (Haskel), Lagg, Bartok (Elliot).
Subs not used: Cerrone.
U14 Pre-Academy: The Red Bulls Pre-Academy team won their third game in a row beating U14 Albertson Academy, 3-2, on Sunday, May 16 in Northeast Pre-Academy League action. Arun Basuljevic (Mahopac, NY) opened the scoring for the Red Bulls, followed by Nick Innocenzi (Franklin Lakes, NJ) right before halftime, as the Red Bulls took a 2-1 lead into the break. Mike Kapitula (North Caldwell, NJ) scored early in the second half before Albertson scored late to make the final score 3-2 for the U14s.
U14 1996: The youngest Red Bull team defeated U14 PDA, 2-0, on Saturday, May 14. The Red Bulls had the majority of the possession throughout the game. Two second half goals, the first from Vincent Brunetti (Wycoff, NJ) in the 62nd minute from Derrick Etienne (Paterson, NJ) and another two minutes later from Juan Pablo Rojas (Piscataway, NJ) were enough to seal the win. Evan Louro (South River, NJ) and Alek Gogic (Fort Lee, NJ) split time in net to record the shutout.
The U14 1996 Red Bulls recorded their second win of the weekend after beating U14 NYFC on the road, 3-1, on Sunday, May 15. Ezequiel Cei (Elizabeth, NJ) opened the scoring in the 17th minute after he won a 50-50 ball and beat the goalkeeper to the far post with a good strike. U14 NYSC found the equalized goal just before halftime to send the teams in the locker room knotted at 1-1.
The second half started well for the Red Bulls as they created a lot of chances. Wilson Rios (Elizabeth, NJ), Brunetti and Tyler Pinho (Cranford, NJ) each put a dangerous attempt on frame, but the Red Bulls were denied each time. In the 47th minute Dante Perez (East Windsor, NJ) scored from a penalty kick to make the score line 2-1 in the Red Bulls’ favor after Brunetti was fouled in the box. Etienne finished with class to close the game 3-1 after good work from Perez.
“It was a good weekend for us, two wins, five goals for and one against is a good sign that we are doing things right. I though we had a great game on Saturday vs. PDA, and I will take the second half on Sunday with a lot more soccer than the first half. Overall I think the players are responding to the challenges and situations in a good way,” said U14 head coach Antonio Meza. “Jake Leahy (Brick, NJ) was good in goal today on his second appearance. It is not easy to step up to a game especially if he is playing against players two years older and with not many games with the team, but he was good again.”
A LOOK AHEAD:
Saturday May 22
U16 Red Bulls vs. U16 Potomac 1:00pm @ NJIT (US Development Academy League)
U14 Pre-Academy Red Bulls vs. U14 Potomac 1:30pm @ Rutgers-Newark (Northeast Pre-Academy League)
U18 Red Bulls vs. U16 Potomac 3:00pm @ NJIT (US Development Academy League)
U14 1996 Red Bulls vs. U14 Massepequa 3:00pm @ Rutgers-Newark
U23 Red Bulls vs. NYAC 6:00pm @ NJIT (National Premier Soccer League
