Red Bull New York entered the lion’s den at Inter Miami’s Nu Stadium and displayed tremendous heart, fight and character to earn an impressive 2-2 draw.

The Red Bulls withstood pressure in the early minutes and grew in belief as the first half wore on. Michael Bradley’s men spent long spells of the opening 45 minutes forcing Inter Miami into mistakes with their constant pressing and energetic legs.

Ruvalcaba Continues Impressive Growth With His First MLS Goal

Julian Hall broke down the right wing, and his cut-back move left two Miami defenders flatfooted. The teenage forward slid a ball across the box to winger Jorge Ruvalcaba, who neatly tucked the ball into the far corner to give New York a 1-0 lead in the 15th minute.

It was Ruvalcaba’s first goal for his new club.

“We’re really happy with the progress that George continues to make,” Bradley said. “Obviously, the goal is excellent. He continues to get better, continues to have a better understanding of how we want to play, of the demands of Major League Soccer.”

Just when it seemed that the Red Bulls would head into halftime with a shock 1-0 lead, Mateo Silvetti popped up and scored a 47th-minute equalizer. The sides went into the break knotted at 1-1.

Inter Miami took complete control for the opening 15 minutes of the second half. Lionel Messi began conjuring his attention-drawing magic. He dragged several Red Bull defenders with him and slid through a pass that Germán Berterame finished with ease.

The Herons were ahead 2-1 in the 55th minute, but that left plenty of time for the Red Bulls to respond.

Red Bulls Earn Gritty Point on the Road

Robert Voloder appeared to pull the match even in the 62nd minute, but Cade Cowell strayed offside, and the would’ve been tying goal was wiped away.

Then, in the 77th minute, the Red Bulls found a dramatic equalizer from a clever set-piece routine. Captain Emil Forsberg slid a ball into the box, and Hall showed tremendous composure on the ball to find space.

Hall found a sliding Adri Mehmeti who brought the match even at 2-2. It was the 17-year-old academy product’s first career MLS goal.

“I’m super proud of everyone,” Hall said. “We fought together like a family until the last minute, and it was an amazing fight to get the point on the road.

“It’s tough to come here and pick up points. The team has been so good together this year, and the chemistry is clicking. Everyone would fight for the guy right next to them. It was an amazing team performance tonight.”

Ethan Horvath Delivers Key Saves in Strong Performance

There were plenty of standout Red Bull performances across the starting XI and substitutes. Goalkeeper Ethan Horvath made a huge impact with several key saves throughout the contest, commanding his area with confidence.

“Ethan had a really big game,” Bradley said. “We’re really happy with the way that he has played and the way that he has settled into our team.

“For a young team, it’s really important that you have the right goalkeeper. By that, I mean not just the qualities of being able to make saves and being able to keep us in games, but also the presence and the composure. Ethan is a guy who is just steady. He’s never fazed by anything.”

The Red Bulls will next turn their attention to the U.S. Open Cup, where they will face Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 on Wednesday night at Sports Illustrated Stadium.

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