HARRISON, N.J. (June 29, 2025) - The New York Red Bulls II (10-2-3, 34 pts) drew FC Cincinnati 2 (2-7-5, 16 pts), 3-3, with Cincinnati taking the extra point via a 5-4 advantage in penalty kicks at MSU Soccer Park on Sunday night.
FC Cincinnati 2 broke through in the 21st minute. After the visitors were awarded a penalty kick, goalkeeper Aidan Stokes turned away the shot from midfielder Peter Mangione. Forward Tega Ikoba put the rebound past Stokes for the 1-0 lead.
The home side equalized in the 34th minute. Forward Wiktor Bogacz dribbled through multiple defenders before laying a pass off to midfielder Nehuen Benedetti. Benedetti fired a left-footed shot past the keeper, leveling the match at one.
NYRB II took the lead two minutes later to grab a 2-1 advantage. Forward Julian Hall rifled a shot that glanced off the crossbar, but Bogacz deposited the rebound into the right-side zone of the goal to take the lead.
Cincinnati leveled the contest at two in first half stoppage time, as forward Andres Mosquera fired a low shot from just inside the 18-yard box that eluded Stokes.
Red Bulls II regained the lead five minutes into the second half. Forward Mijahir Jimenez, who entered as a substitute at halftime, was taken down in the box by a Cincinnati defender. Hall stepped up to take the penalty kick and drove a low shot past the diving keeper, making it 3-2.
Cincinnati leveled the match on the 78th minute off a set piece when a ball deflected off the head of midfielder Aiden Jarvis for an own goal.
Benedetti scored his sixth goal of the season and extended his goal-scoring streak to five consecutive matches.
Benedetti has six goals on the season which is tied with teammate Tanner Rosborough for the fifth-most goals in MLS NEXT Pro.
Bogacz scored his second goal of the season for Red Bulls II and has scored in back-to-back appearances.
Bogacz tallied his second assist of the season for New York.
Hall scored his third goal for Red Bulls II this season. The forward has scored a goal in three of his last four appearances for NYRB II
Forward Dennis Gjengaar made his MLS NEXT Pro debut.
Forward Roald Mitchell made his first appearance of the season, and first appearance since April 14, 2024 returning from a knee injury as he entered as a substitute in the 68th minute.
Subbing in the 81st minute, midfielder Nate Worth made his MLS NEXT Pro debut.
Stokes made five saves on the night, which is the second most saves he’s made in a match in his career, and the most he’s made this season.
Stokes has 34 saves on the season, which is the fifth-most in the Eastern Conference this season.
With the draw, Red Bulls II tallied their unbeaten streak to seven matches and is the third-longest unbeaten streak in club history.
Following Sunday’s match, New York will return home to MSU Soccer Park to face Huntsville FC on Sunday, July 4. Kickoff is set for 7:00 PM ET with coverage available on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
