Entering its fourth season of existence, New York Red Bulls II will take to the pitch sooner than you know it. Because of upgrades being made to MSU Soccer Park, Red Bull Arena, home to a 2016 USL Cup Championship, will be the home to NYRB II for the first six home matches. NYRB II will look to open the year with a win for the first time in their short history, drawing each opponent on opening day from 2015-17. While March 17 is right around the corner, we’ll highlight the top five can’t miss matches of 2018!
Lucky to be Home!
After ending the 2017 season on the road for six straight weeks, playoffs included, NYRB II will open the 2018 season on St. Patrick’s Day at home against TFC II on March 17 at Red Bull Arena. NYRB II have never lost to TFC II in their three-year history of matchups, going 5-0-1 against them, including two wins in 2017.
AT-L UTD 2
Similar to the First Team’s 2017 Season Opening win on the road at Atlanta United, NYRB II heads to the ATL in week two to face off against the newly-formed expansion side ATL UTD 2, looking to spoil their inaugural match in front of an amped up home crowd.
Two for One
April 14, offers your only two-for-one, single admission doubleheader of the season. First up at 1 p.m. ET, you get the First Team facing off against the Montreal Impact in MLS action followed by Joe Cole and Marcel Schafer and the Tampa Bay Rowdies in a rematch of an epic USL Playoffs Semifinals contest that saw NYRB II winning in added extra time via a Stefano Bonomo goal.
Grudge Match in the Bluegrass State
The previous two USL Cup Champions face off as NYRB II will look for revenge on June 30 after being knocked out on PKs in the USL Eastern Conference Finals. Louisville City went on to win the USL Cup over Swope Park Rangers a week later but the returning NYRB II players will want to exact some payback in Derby City.
A Music City Debut
Nashville SC makes their USL debut ahead of them being awarded an MLS franchise and coincidentally NYRB II will make the visit to the Music City before the senior side gets to. Their inaugural match in a preseason friendly against Atlanta United drew 10K in the rain. If Nashville has anything to say about it, look for similar environments well into late September in support of their home side.
