Red Bull New York II will square off against the No. 1 seed Crown Legacy FC in the MLS NEXT Pro Eastern Conference quarterfinals on Sunday evening.
Last Sunday, the Baby Bulls defeated Huntsville City FC 3-1 in the play-in round at MSU Soccer Park to set up a meeting with Crown Legacy FC at Sportsplex at Matthews.
Forwards Mijahir Jiménez, Pedro Castro and Tanner Rosborough each scored in the play-in round and Castro’s sensational free kick proved to be the game-winning goal.
At a combined age of 18.18 years old, Red Bull New York II fielded the youngest starting XI in MLS NEXT Pro playoff history.
Midfielder Deven Cadigan believes that the defending MLS NEXT Pro champions are gelling at the right time.
Cadigan Believes Red Bull New York II Is Hitting Its Stride
“We got together as a group and we really talked about things and how we want to push the ends of the season to get into the playoffs,” Cadigan said during Thursday’s press conference.
“I think the group really came together. We just realized we’re a really good team and we have so much potential to just put it together. So, we just started building connections on and off the field more, and that’s built into the streak, and now we’re here in a good spot.”
When Red Bull II last met Crown Legacy FC on July 24, the Baby Bulls suffered a 3-0 defeat at MSU Park. On Sunday, it will be the first time that the two sides have met under the playoff spotlight.
Dominik Wohlert Emphasizes Level-Headed Mindset
Red Bull New York II head coach Dominik Wohlert explained how he and the technical staff are keeping the squad on an even keel.
“I really believe in structure, and that structure or that system in the background allows us to not to get too high, but also not get too low,” Wohlert said. “So, I feel like that’s what we always did. We did the last 10 months, managing the group, trying to after a win, trying to bring them down, and also be realistic and mentioning points where we have to take the next step.
“But also, still pointing out what was good in the same way also after losses. So, we really try to keep them leveled and also try to find good momentum to build that over the week to really allow the players to have their peak performance on the weekend.”
Should Red Bull New York II advance, they will face their next opponent in the Eastern Conference Semifinal through the pick-your-opponent process.
Kickoff for Sunday’s match is scheduled for 7 p.m. Eastern Time. The match will be carried on OneFootball, Youtube and MLSNEXTPRO.com.
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