Red Bulls Punished by Repeat Defensive Errors as Cincinnati Exploits Bungi’s Lane

By Daniel Feuerstein | Cincinnati, OH | April 25th, 2026

Red Bull New York traveled to the Queen City to face FC Cincinnati in hopes of earning a sweep in the series this season after getting swept last year and taking a four goals to two victory at Sports Illustrated Stadium. While there was a bit of roster rotation by head coach Michael Bradley to prepare for the Open Cup match at home against NYCFC, the Red Bulls headed to TQL Stadium and, unfortunately, were taken down by FC Cincinnati, as this match was a tale of two halves. The final score was two goals to nil, in favor of the Orange and Blue.

Joyeux Masanka Bungi has been a disaster in two matches

Joyeux Masanka Bungi has been responsible for the last five goals scored against the Red Bulls when he was subbed into the match against DC United in the midweek, and his first start in the road match against FC Cincinnati. The opposition knew where to attack the Red Bulls, creating a weak spot at the left fullback position, as Bungi hasn’t looked right from the start during his loan from Red Bull Leipzig. Fellow MLS reporter J.J. Pavlick stated that this loan deal wouldn’t work from the moment it was announced for Red Bull New York.

With Bungi starting against FC Cincinnati, he allowed two goal scoring contributions late in the first half, allowing Kevin Denkey to score two goals within 10 minutes apart. A long ball from the far side of the pitch came across and landed in front of Pavel Bucha along the near side. As he turned toward the area, Bungi ran up to him and tried to defend the ball. Bungi got too close and was nutmegged by Bucha, who got the space and made a strong pass across to Denkey and scored into an open net in the 40th minute.

Then a poor decision from Bungi inside first half stoppage time as he lunged at the attacker and brought him down, this time inside his area, with one second left on the clock. Referee Fotis Bazakos blew his whistle and pointed to the spot for the penalty. Denkey took the spot kick and just beat the outstretched arms of Ethan Horvath in the fifth minute of first half stoppage time for his brace. Michael Bradley, the usually calm, collected, cool-headed Head Coach, was visibly upset inside his technical area. When the teams came back to the pitch, Bradley pulled the bungee cord on Bungi and replaced him with Matthew Dos Santos.

The second half was improved, but nothing went in

Once Bradley made his changes during the match, the Red Bulls looked better and had the momentum, but couldn’t convert any of their chances. With Emil Forsberg coming off the bench as a substitute, the Red Bulls earned a free kick from about two to three yards just outside the area. Matthew Dos Santos took the free kick and struck the outside of the near post in the 60th minute. He was that close from putting the Red Bulls on the board and scoring his first MLS Goal.

Once Forsberg did sub into the match, along with Jorge Ruvalcaba, the momentum switched toward the Red Bulls, and they looked just as dangerous as they did against FC Cincinnati at Sports Illustrated Stadium, but unfortunately, they couldn’t get any goals past Roman Celetano and the Red Bulls are now on a four match winless streak as the last ten minutes of the first half did them in.

“The first half is certainly not our best. The biggest frustration in the first half is that on a night when you go away from home, when you play against a good team in a great stadium, good atmosphere, that when we get to the end of the first half, we can’t find a way to just make sure that we get into halftime only down one to zero, that we lose track of a few things and let a play that should have no business being in our box or anywhere close to our goal, and now all of a sudden they’re calling a penalty, and we’re down two to zero. So that’s the lesson for me to take away from tonight in the first half.

The response in the second half was excellent. That was us. We pushed the game in every way. Football was really good, pushed them back, counter-pressed well, made chances, and kept doing it over and over again. And it’s just a shame that we couldn’t get to two to one, because I think it’s a night, if you get the two to one, then you have a really, really good chance to get back to two to two. But that’s how it goes sometimes. Sowe take the lessons, and we keep moving ourselves forward,” said Michael Bradley.

Red Bull New York falls to FC Cincinnati on two goals given up late in the first half and into first half stoppage time. Now they are winless in four matches, they are looking towards the U.S. Open Cup against New York City FC.

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