New York Red Bulls II seek their first win of 2020 at home against Hartford Athletic on July 17.

Here are the Three Keys to the Game:
First Match Back

This will be both clubs first match back since the USL Championship suspended the season back on March 13. This will be NYRB II’s first match in 132 days. With the first team in Orlando, some players will be relied on to make an impact early in this return to play. Barry Sharifi, Caden Clark, Deri Corfe, Jake LaCava, and Cherif Dieye will be looking to make their professional debuts and look like they will get opportunities early on to make an impact.

History Against Hartford

Even though, Hartford Athletic played their first season in existence last year, NYRB II took all the points in both meetings. First, they defeated Hartford, 4-0, at MSU Soccer Park, with Jared Stroud, Tom Barlow, and Chris Lema all scoring goals in the victory. Then, NYRB II won the away match at Dillon Stadium, 5-1. NYRB II will look to get their first win on Friday night and their third straight win against Hartford.

New Faces

As said before, with the first team in Orlando, NYRB II will need the help of an academy presence. In the past, Red Bulls Academy players have made a significant impact for NYRB II. Most recently, New York Red Bulls defender John Tolkin made 14 appearances for NYRB II last season and became a mainstay at left back for the backline. Expect to see some new faces on Friday night.