A LOOK BACK:
U23s: The Red Bull U23s opened their NPSL season with a 1-0 win against NYAC on Saturday, May 22. The U23s controlled the majority of possession and it paid off on a goal from Cesar Blacido (Ramsey, NJ/Monmouth University) with 15 minutes left. Mario Rios (Morristown, NJ/Iona College) slipped Blacido in behind the back four and Blacido calmly slotted the ball past the NYAC keeper. Sheldon Parkinson (New Rochelle, NY/Mercer County College) went the distance for the shutout in goal.
Lineup: Parkinson, Reed, Vazquez, Lade, Hot, Morris (Exantus), Uy, Blacido, McLarney (Fartura), Dacres (Rios), Bouraee (Welker).
U18s: The Red Bulls U18s needed another late goal from Mike Innocenzi (Franklin Lakes, NJ) to secure a 3-2 victory over U18 Potomac on Saturday, May 22 in US Development Academy League action as the U18s inch closer to securing a spot in the postseason. The U18s jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first half. Victor Manosalvas (Clifton, NJ) got the Red Bulls on the scoreboard in the fifth minute after racing onto a Mark Nicholas (Metuchen, NJ) ball played over the top. In the 38th minute, Richmond McCarthy (Bronx, NY) got his first goal of the season after Oscar Gonzalez (Clifton, NJ) slipped him a neat pass into the box to finish.
The Red Bulls failed to hold onto the 2-0 lead as Potomac pulled one back right before halftime. In the second half, the U18s struggled to find any rhythm and Potomac equalized in the 75th minute. However, some late substitutions managed to help create several scoring chances for the Red Bulls. In the 82nd minute, Innocenzi scored his second consecutive game-winner after receiving a through ball from CJ Lyle (Stamford, CT).
“Mike Innocenzi was very effective again today. However, we need to do a better job of closing out games when we build a lead. At 2-0, we should have done better, but the team seemed to stop playing after that. The goal before halftime by Potomac made things difficult for us in the second half. However, the team again showed great character in continuing to push for the game-winner,” stated U18 head coach Paul O’Donnell.
Lineup: Bonder, Ehrenworth (Freeman 77’), Adler, Brode, Nicholas (Garcia 55’), Gurel, Manosalvas (Ahn 88’), McCarthy (Najem 59’), Innocenzi, O. Gonzalez (Lyle 64’), Battistesa (Mencia 55’).
Subs not used: Cardona.
U16s: The U16s controlled most of the possession and made it pay off in the first half on a goal from Eric Lagg (Lafayette, NJ), but Potomac scored with about 10 minutes left to level the game and leave the Red Bulls with a single point in a US Development Academy League on Saturday, May 22.
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Lineup: Cerrone, Ceron (Munoz), Alvarado, Boschen, Dorador, Akinyode, Bziukiewicz (Kronick), Haskel (Castillo), Cruz (Wantchekon), Bartok (Adjei), Lagg (Elliot).
Subs not used: Brown
U14 Pre-Academy: The Red Bulls U14 Pre-Academy side won it's fifth straight game on Saturday, May 22, defeating Potomac U14 Pre-Academy, 3-1. Nick Innocenzi (Franklin Lakes, NJ) continued his scoring streak, tallying two goals in the first half as the Red Bulls pulled out to a 3-0 lead by halftime. Amando Moreno (Perth Amboy, NJ) also got on the score sheet for the Red Bulls. Evan Louro (South River, NJ) returned from his U-14 National Team Camp and turned in a strong performance in goal.
U14 1996: The Red Bull U14 1996s continued their undefeated run, which now stands at seven straight games with 10 goals for and only three against, after a 2-2 result against U14 Montclair Gauchos on Saturday, May 22. The Red Bulls took the lead in the 17th minute when JP Rojas (Piscataway, NJ) placed the ball in the far post after cross from Matias Fracchia (Roselle Park, NJ). A few minutes later Derrick Etienne (Paterson, NJ) hit the cross bar but found the target on the next play to increase the lead to 2-0 after a pass from Connor Maki (Short Hills, NJ). The Gauchos fought back and two mistakes from the U14 defense allow them to tied the game in the last five minutes of the first half.
The second half was all for the young Bulls and they pressed forward to find the winning goal, hitting the crossbar and having two more cleared off the line.
"We lost our concentration in the last five minutes (of the first half) and they took advantage of that to equalize the game. We tried and pushed hard looking for the winning goal but we couldn't finish all the chances we created in the second half. Beside those five minutes I think we had a good game with a lot of sequences of good soccer," said head coach Antonio Meza.
A LOOK AHEAD:
Wednesday, May 26
U23 Red Bulls @ Long Island (National Premier Soccer League)
Friday, May 28
U18 Red Bulls vs. U18 Houston Dynamo 10:00am @ Sarasota Polo Club (US Development Academy League)
U16 Red Bulls vs. U16 Houston Dynamo 12:00pm @ Sarasota Polo Club (US Development Academy League)
Sunday, May 30
U18 Red Bulls @ U18 Andromeda 9:00am @ Sarasota Polo Club Field (US Development Academy League)
U16 Red Bulls @ U16 Andromeda 11:00am @ Sarasota Polo Club Field (US Development Academy League)
Monday, May 31
U16 Red Bulls vs. U16 Concorde Fire 11:00am Sarasota Polo Club Field (US Development Academy League)
U18 Red Bulls vs. U18 Concorde Fire 11:00am Sarasota Polo Club Field (US Development Academy League)
