Red Bulls II Clinch MLS NEXT Pro Playoff Berth

On Sunday, the New York Red Bulls II faced the Chicago Fire II for the second time of their inaugural season in MLS NEXT Pro. At their home field, it took them just eight minutes to take the lead. Jorge Cabezas-Hurtado dribbled into the Fire II 18-yard-box and around the goalkeeper, Mihajlo Miskovic before shooting the ball into the net for his first goal as a member of the New York Red Bulls organization.

The visitors, however, would tie the game up quickly, but not in the way the Red Bull fans—including first team manager Troy Lesesne and Head of Sport Jochen Schneider—attending this match might have hoped. A pass was sent back into the Red Bulls II’s box, and it ended up being a race to the loose ball between the Bulls II goalkeeper Will Meyer and an opponent. Meyer got to the ball near the edge of his 18-yard-box and attempted to clear the ball but was blocked by his opponent. He then watched the ball bounce into the back of his net and the visitors had tied the game, thanks to one careless pass made by a Red Bulls II player.

In the 22nd minute, the Fire scored again. However, the Red Bulls II would respond quickly. The play began with Wikelman Carmona intercepting a pass and dribbling into the Chicago box, before passing to his teammate a few yards to his left, who took a shot that was blocked. The Rebound fell to the Bulls II’s very own Golden Boot candidate, Ibrahim Kasule, who tapped the ball in, from the goal area to tie the game back up at a 2-2 scoreline in the 24th minute.

After a fast and furious start of the first half, there was no scoring until the second half. However, Ronald Donkor almost gave the home side an insurance goal when he curled a shot off the post in the 44th minute.n

Baby Bulls Find Another Goal-Scoring Gear

The Red Bulls II came into this game, seven points clear of the Fire II, in fourth place in the Next Pro eastern conference. When the second half began, the Red Bulls II looked like a team that was much better than their opponent. In the 48th minute, the starting left-back for the Bulls II, O’Vonte Mullings sent a cross to the near-post and Frank Ssebufu headed it in to put the home team in front 3-2.

One minute later, Fire defenders were passing around the back when a Bulls press dispossessed them! Four Bulls II players were striding toward the Chicago 18 and Ssebufu took the ball down the right flank, faked a shot and passed back into the box for Carmona whose first-time shot hit the twine to put the Baby Bulls ahead, 4-2.

At that point, the game looked like it might end up a blowout—not so fast. A free kick taken by Chicago was headed into the goal by Andres Ueland in the 53rd minute to pull the visitors within one. However, Chicago couldn’t keep the Red Bulls offense at bay and in the 59th minute, Kasule added his second goal, because he was in the right spot to bump a rebound into the net after Miskovic misplayed a shot from outside the box. By the time the 75th minute came around, the visitors were definitely down but– not quite out. They managed to pull one back thanks to a corner kick, which was dropped by Meyer and Fire II defender, Noah Egan was there to score with his left foot and cut their deficit to one. While the score definitely should have been an easier win for Sekagya’s men, the Red Bulls II were able to hang on for victory.

Red Bulls II Manager, Players Discuss Victoryn

The Red Bulls II came into tonight’s game in fourth place but after beating the Fire II for their third consecutive victory, moved into sole possession of third place in the MLS NEXT Pro Eastern Conference. Coach Ibrahim Sekagya’s team have a 13-7-5 record and 47 points, which places them fourth-best in the entire league.

During the post-game press conference, Coach Ibrahim Sekagya described why his team has been able to string good performances together all season long and what securing their spot in the playoffs in the club’s first season in MLS Next Pro means.n

“We didn’t talk about what is our goal, it was about the game, game-by-game. From the beginning, we talked about how we can put our style of play into the new guys coming in to buy what we are doing. This is where the achievement shows, what we did now to clinch for the playoffs, this is a big achievement… but as I said from the beginning, we still have another three games left which are so important.”

Red Bulls II Head Coach, Ibrahim Sekagya

Part of the reason any professional sports team manages to find success is, strong leadership– not only from the coaching staff but from players. One veteran who has helped the Baby Bulls take their first steps in MLS NEXT Pro this season has been O’Vonte Mullings. The 22-year-old may not be ‘August’ in terms of age, but the former first-overall-draft-pick has ‘worn it well’ to quote Rod Stewart when describing the ‘Captain’s Armband.’

Tonight, the Baby Bulls made their share of mistakes, including allowing the Fire II to tie the game thanks to a mental error, but what they did right was play with consistent intensity and Mullings commented on what he saw from his team’s effort tonight in Montclair.

“Everyone was hungry today, everyone was on the same page, and we all had the same vision and the same goal in mind, it was to win. When we’re all on the same page, we’re a tough team to beat.”

Red Bulls II Captain, O’Vonte Mullings

While having good leadership and playing hard every night are great, in soccer one thing you can’t win without is goal-scoring. During their rookie campaign in MLS NEXT Pro, the Red Bulls II have received a major lift in the form of Ibrahim Kasule. The 18-year-old from Uganda transferred in March and since then has contributed 16 goals to the New York Red Bulls farm team over the course of the 2023 NEXT Pro season and for the second game in a row, scored a brace. Kasule’s scoring touch may have been the key to the strong regular season that the Red Bulls II have had, which has resulted in a 13 win, five draw and five loss record and the Red Bulls II clinching a berth in the MLS Next Pro playoffs in their first season in that league, with four games left on their regular season schedule. n

“Soft-spoken but right on target were the words of the team’s leading scorer during the post-match presser, and here’s what Kasule had to say: “Just the mentality of the team. The focus being on the ball. Everyone loves each other and we set a target. We had to be in the playoffs. We are just happy for that.”

Red Bulls II midfielder, Ibrahim Kasule

The Red Bulls II will travel north of the border to Toronto, Ontario. They will face Toronto F.C. at 7:00 P.m. on Sept. 1 before traveling like a thousand miles southeast to North Carolina to face the Beasts of the NEXT Pro East, Crown Legacy on Sept. 10. Coach Sekagya kept the messaging that clinching the playoffs is an accomplishment but there are still four more games to play…does it seem like these Baby Bulls are done stomping?

Photo Credit: NY Red Bulls and NY Red Bulls 2