UNDER 23s OFF TO HOT START
The New York Red Bulls Academy Under-23 team had a big weekend, posting a 6-0 win over the Rhode Island Reds on Saturday, May 26 and defeating Mass United 2-1 the following day. The Under-23’s have now won five matches in a row, and have conceded just one goal all season.
On Saturday, the Red Bulls exercised their offensive muscle by striking four times within the first 30 minutes of the match against the Rhode Island Reds. Victor Manosalvas found the back of the net twice, netting goals in the 14th and 29th minutes, sandwiched by a goal by Sam Adjei in the 18th minute.
Adjei assisted on both of the Manosalvas’ goals, while Giorgi Chirgadze picked up a helper on the opening goal. The two Red Bull goals in the second half were scored by substitutes David Westlake in the 69th minute (assisted by starter Mark Brode) and Christian Battistesa in the 89th minute (assisted by David Westlake).
The following day against Mass United, the Red Bulls Academy were determined to maintain their level of play from the day before in an effort to extend their win streak. Mass United drew first blood in the 13th minute, as John Bavota’s scored with the aid from fellow teammate Denivaldo DaSilva. The 1-0 lead held up for the visitors through the rest of the first half and into the second until John Gurel equalized for the Red Bulls with a penalty kick in the 50th minute.
The home team broke the tie 10 minutes later, when Battistesa sent a long ground pass out of midfield down into the goal area to Adjei, who flicked a short pass left to a wide-open Najem. Najem took full advantage from 15 yards outside the goal by driving the ball past Mass United keeper Baboucarr Njie resulting in the game-winning goal, culminating in a 2-1 win.
The U-23s made it five wins in as many starts, topping the Brooklyn Italians, 2-1, Thursday night in National Premier Soccer League action on the campus of New Jersey Institute of Technology.
The Red Bulls scored twice in the dying minutes of the first half and later survived a failed penalty kick by the Brooklyn Italians in the 70th minute. The final goal of the match was scored by the visitors early in stoppage time at the end of the second half.
The Brooklyn Italians took the first eight shots of the night, but the Red Bulls were the first on the scoreboard, as Gurel recovered a rebound in the left side of the penalty area and knocked the ball inside the far post in the 43rd minute.
Soon thereafter, Battistesa gained control outside of the box and carried straight ahead, putting the ball in the net through a diving attempt at his feet by Brooklyn goalkeeper Nathan Stockie in the 45th minute.
The 2-0 lead held up until early in stoppage time, when Moriken Sangary floated a chip shot across the mouth of the goal and inside the right post to finally get the Brooklyn Italians on the board, but it wasn’t enough as the Red Bulls held on for the impressive win.
Thursday’s victory pushed the Red Bulls to the top in the Northeast-Atlantic Conference with 15 points in five matches. They are three points clear of the Brooklyn Italians, who have four wins and two losses in six tries.
The Red Bulls will play seven of their nine remaining games on the road, starting Saturday versus the Seacoast United Phantoms at the Portsmouth (NH) High School Stadium.
DIXON SCORES TWO
New York Red Bulls Academy forward Malcolm Dixon scored two goals and the U.S. U-15 Boys' National Team opened the International Marveld Tournament in Holland with a 5-0 victory against Feyenoord (Netherlands). Among the participants in the 12-team tournament are youth teams for renowned clubs Liverpool (England), Manchester United (England), Real Madrid (Spain) and PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands).
