Ruvalcaba’s Brace in the First Half Gives Red Bulls Victory over SKC

By Daniel Feuerstein | Kansas City, KS | May 23rd, 2026

Red Bull New York traveled to the Midwest and faced Sporting Kansas City in their final match of the first half of the season before the World Cup gets underway. For the majority of the game, the Red Bulls had to fend off a plucky SKC side who wanted to create chances and score multiple goals in the Raphael Wicky era, but after a two-goal opening half and some timely defense and solid substitutions, the Red Bulls will end the night going four unbeaten and defeating SKC by a final score of two goals to one.

Another two-goal game for Jorge Ruvalcaba

He started the scoring early and late in the opening half. Jorge Ruvalcaba scored his second two-goal game as he pulled apart the SKC defense with his timely scoring and took down SKC goalkeeper Stefan Cleveland. The first goal was a bit of a bouncing ball, with Julian Hall trying to head it down and right to Gustav Berggren. A fantastic ball was laid off to Ruvalcaba going down the far side, and on his left foot, he took a diagonal shot that tucked inside the back post in the 3rd minute.

The second goal was scored just inside the start of first half stoppage time. Sporting KC tried to start a breakaway pass, but Rafael Mosquera was in perfect position to block it and started a pass of his own and sent it toward Julian Hall. It quickly became a two-on-one, with Hall making a fabulous pass to the far side, finding Ruvalcaba. He just jumped back a bit, put Stefan Cleveland into no-man’s land and ripped a shot so hard and fast the ball went in and out for his second of the match.

“Yeah, I mean, to begin with, very happy, of course. As a winger, as an attacker, scoring goals, of course, gives you confidence. It’s what you know, what makes you happy, honestly. And I think, most importantly, just being able to help the team, knowing that we got the three points on our last game before the World Cup, which was our intention, was very, it was very big, and I mean, honestly, it’s kind of like what I, what I do best, it’s kind of just like that cut, that cut and shoot, and I think it worked out the way I kind of imagined it at the moment.” said Jorge Ruvalcaba

injuries and relief

While Emil Forsberg and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting weren’t available due to injury, during the match, there was an injury to Cade Cowell while on the attack. As he was chasing the ball, he tried to challenge the SKC defender while fouling his man. He landed awkwardly and injured his right ankle. While he was able to walk off on his own power, Michael Bradley subbed him out for Mosquera.

A few minutes later in the half, Gustav Berggren also went down very quickly, holding his lower right side, and hoped it wasn’t serious. On replay, Berggren went down with a non-contact injury, and it looked like he had a spasm in his lower back. While he did come off the pitch and got treatment by the bench, thankfully, he was able to return from his little uncomfortable issue.

SKC pulls one back

Once again, another potential clean sheet is ripped up by an opponent when Sporting Kansas City converted their only goal of the match with a ball looped in over the top from Manu Garcia. While being defended by two Red Bull defenders, Calvin Harris made an amazing play by just sticking out his right foot and getting a toe on the ball to chip it over Ethan Horvath and into the back of the net. A goal that should be up for Goal of the Week in the 64th minute.

The return of Cameron Harper

For nearly a full year, Cameron Harper has been rehabbing his right leg/knee injury since he was stepped on from behind by an Austin FC Defender and was never issued a straight red card, nor did VAR call the referee to the monitor to issue a red card last season in the capital of Texas. But for the final thirteen minutes (Including the three minutes of second-half stoppage time), Harper made his return, and he looked very involved. He had a scoring chance to get a two-goal lead back, but just missed the back post.

With this victory over Sporting Kansas City, and a two goals to one loss by NYCFC at Nashville SC, the Red Bulls have now moved up to fifth place in the Eastern Conference table. They are now on a four-match unbeaten streak, and they will head off to the World Cup break on a positive note. They will resume their season on Wednesday, July 22nd, as they start the second half on the road at Subaru Park against the Philadelphia Union.

“The best teams find different ways to win. It doesn’t always play out in the exact way that you hope, and to have a team full of guys who are willing to do whatever it takes on nights like this, that’s what separates good players from really good players and good teams from really good teams,” said Michael Bradley

JORGE RUVALCABA: Scored two goals, his sixth and seventh of the season, his second two-goal game

JULIAN HALL: Earned Two Assists, Third and fourth Assists of the season, second two-assist game, fourth and fifth career MLS assists

GUSTAV BERGGREN: Earned an assist, second career MLS Assist

RAFAEL MOSQUERA: Earned an Assist, second assist of the season

Red Bull New York defeated Sporting Kansas City with two goals from Jorge Ruvalcaba and both were scored in the beginning and the end of the first half.

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