New York Red Bulls II will travel to face Tampa Bay Rowdies on Saturday, May 18 at Al Lang Stadium. Kick-off is set for 7:30 p.m. ET and will be shown live on ESPN+. Here are three things to watch for:
LEAGUE LEADERS
NYRB II and Tampa Bay Rowdies are currently tied for first place in the league-wide standings with 20 points. NYRB II currently lead the league in goals scored with 22, while Tampa Bay Rowdies are first in the league in clean sheets with six. They have only allowed four goals in 10 matches. What will happen when the league’s best offense meets the league’s best defense? All I know is you will NOT want to miss this one.
NEW MAN UP TOP
Tom Barlow recently signed an MLS contract with the New York Red Bulls, and forward Sebastian Elney got his first career start, when NYRB II faced Ottawa Fury FC last Wednesday. Elney, a native of Boca Raton, Fla., has appeared in four matches this season and will be expected to produce in the absence of Barlow. According to head coach John Wolyniec, he believes that Elney has done well with the opportunities he has had. “Sebastian has not been getting many reps there, so for him to step up and on short notice, the shift that he was able to put in was great,” Wolyniec said.
OLD FACES
Three former NYRB II players are currently on the Tampa Bay Rowdies roster: Brandon Allen, Andrew Tinari, and David Najem. The three of them have combined for over 150 appearances in all competitions for NYRB II. This will be an interesting matchup when the new faces of NYRB II meet the old.
New York Red Bulls II will return home for Military Appreciation Night on May 24 against North Carolina FC, with kick-off set for 7 p.m. ET. For tickets, visit www.newyorkredbulls.com/2/tickets or call 1.877.727.7585.
