Red Bull New York head coach Michael Bradley could have seen Saturday’s lopsided 6-1 away defeat to Charlotte going differently had New York finished its early chances.

Idan Toklomati put Charlotte ahead in the 14th minute, heading in Pep Biel’s superb delivery into the box.

At halftime, the match was still very much up for grabs with the hosts only holding a 1-0 lead.

Bradley Points To Key Moments That Decided the Match

“Strange game, really strange game,” Bradley said. “I thought we started really well. Had a really good, big chance after two or three minutes. We were pushing things in a good way. Go down 1-0 on a free kick that we’re not able to deal with in a good way.

“[The] talk at halftime about a few things and still feel like the game is there for us in every way and then less than a minute into the second half, don’t do well enough with a play in front of our own goal go down 2-0, and then there’s this play outside the box that quickly finds us down to 10 men and down 3-0.”

Second Half Red Card Changed Everything

Although Kerwin Vargas doubled Charlotte’s advantage immediately in the second half, there was still time for the Red Bulls to make a comeback charge. That opportunity vanished when natural midfielder Gustav Berggren, who was playing as a makeshift center-back, was sent off after hauling down Toklomati.

“At that point, it’s going to be a challenging end to the game,” Bradley stated. “I give big credit to our players, because they kept even on a really difficult night, kept going, kept trying to play, kept trying to make chances, kept trying to push themselves on. We’re building something. We’re on the path to becoming a really good team.

“But unfortunately, nights like tonight are part of it sometimes, and we have to be able to take the lessons. We have to be able to learn. We have to be able to, as we move forward, reward ourselves for all the good things that we do, and be able to deal with a few situations, a few moments, a little bit better.”

Red Bulls Look Ahead To Next Match vs. FC Cincinnati

Julian Hall’s 81st-minute goal saved the Red Bulls from being shut out on the road. The heavy defeat may have been a harsh lesson, but it doesn’t necessarily undo the progress that Bradley and his squad have made to open the season with plenty of encouraging signs through five league matches played.

New York has won two matches, drawn once and lost twice to open their 2026 MLS campaign. They’ve accomplished this while deploying several fresh-faced teenagers and imports who are adapting to Major League Soccer.

“We’re trying one day at a time, to build a team that can hold up in the biggest moments, that can play football, that can compete, that can really, really challenge for things in every way,” Bradley said. “I said to the players, unfortunately, nights like this are a tough part of that road, sometimes that journey. So we have to, as I said, look at ourselves. Understand the things that are going in a good direction, understand the things that need to get better, and we will.”

Bradley, his staff and the players will have ample time to find solutions before New York’s return to action at home on April 4 against FC Cincinnati.

Rome wasn’t built in a day. The same goes for Bradley’s Red Bulls.

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