New York Red Bulls II concluded its four-match March slate on Wednesday, March 23, falling 2-0 to Louisville City FC.
The club earned its first victory of the 2022 season on March 16, with all its matches coming within a 12-day span. Before the calendar turns to April, catch up on the notes and numbers from the opening month of the season:
Marcucci’s Strong Start – Goalkeeper AJ Marcucci is the only player to log every single minute through four matches for Red Bulls II. He currently leads the league in saves with 16 and moved into sole possession of second all-time in club history, passing Santiago Castaño. He has started 14-consecutive matches for New York dating back to September 19, 2021.
Year Two Jumps – The opening month of the 2022 season saw multiple players expand their roles on the New York roster compared to 2021. Defender Curtis Ofori played in 14 matches last season, made three starts, and logged 377 minutes. Through four matches in 2022, he has already equaled his start total while logging 265 minutes. Midfielder Sam Williams appeared in 18 matches, started six matches, and accumulated 737 minutes last year. This season, he has appeared in all four matches, started three, and ranks third on the team in minutes (327).
Murphy’s Return – Midfielder John Murphy made his return to Red Bulls II this season after appearing in two matches in 2018 as a registered academy player. Prior to the first match, Murphy was named the captain of this season’s team. He has started all four matches and ranks second on the team in minutes (350). He recorded his first professional assist on March 16 against Atlanta United 2, the same place where he made his professional debut in 2018.
Sserwadda’s Call-Up – Midfielder Steven Sserwadda earned a call-up to the Ugandan National team for the 2022 Navruz Cup, a four-nation competition in Uzbekistan. Sserwadda previously made appearances for the U-20 and U-23 National Teams.
Creating Chances – New York ranks tied for fifth in USL Championship for shots, tallying 45 through four matches. Individually, two players rank in the top ten in the Eastern Conference for chances created. Midfielders John Murphy and Sam Williams have six, which is tied for eighth in the East.
