Alex Muyl: ‘People Are Playing with No Fear’

The New York Red Bulls defeated the University of South Florida men’s soccer team 4-0. Alex Muyl, Jared Stroud, Cherif Dieye and Ben Mines scored the goals. 

“I think it was a kind of performance, where we were able to do what we’ve been training all week,” said Muyl, who scored the game’s first goal in the 33rd minute. “Against the ball, we were great. I scored a goal, but there was a couple more out there, and when sharpness comes, we’ll get a few more goals. Overall, we got good fitness out of it, we were able to translate what we’ve been training onto the field, so a positive result overall.”

Stroud, who scored the second goal of the match, noted that the team was able to press higher to start the second half. 

“One of the reasons we did well in the second half, it’s that we were pressing them higher up the field and winning the ball. Part of the second half, I think we dropped off a bit and gave them a little bit of confidence,” said Stroud. “But when we stepped it up again, we scored another goal at the end.”

Head Coach Chris Armas used two different line-ups for each half. The night became an opportunity to see as many new players as possible. Patrick Seagrist got the assist in Muyl’s goal, while Dieye contributed with a goal and assist. 

“A lot of times, young players can be fazed when they’re for the first time in a professional environment, but we’re trying our hardest to welcome them,” said Muyl. “It’s a situation where the whole team welcomes young players and tries to make them as comfortable as possible, so they can contribute. I think you’re seeing guys immediately having an impact, which is good.”

Dieye, who played against USF in the past, is enjoying his time with the club, following directions from his coaches. 

“It’s just following directions, just watching videos and getting a lot of help from the coaches,” said Dieye. “Usually I play on the left wing, but here I changed position and played as a striker. It was a bit different, but I didn’t see any change; it’s just a matter of following directions and understanding your role in the team.”

Tuesday night’s performance was proof that the new players are understanding the team’s philosophy, and that the next weeks of preseason will be used to consolidate it. 

“Chris has been teaching a lot of guys about the philosophy, but he’s also been pushing to play free and play brave, which I think is great for young players; it shows a lot,” said Muyl. “People are playing with no fear, that’s when you’re going to play your best, so it’s nice to see that.”