On Friday night, New York Red Bulls II battled Philadelphia Union II in their first scrimmage against an outside opponent to keep preparing towards the 2021 USL Championship season opener.
New York Red Bulls II came out on top in this match, 1-0. Forward Jeremy Rafanello scored the game-winner halfway through the first half off of a cross from midfielder Jake Lacava.
“For a group of guys that have not spent a ton of time together, I felt pretty good about the match,” Wolyniec said. “We were pretty good, especially in the first half, we created a decent amount of chances.”
The match saw many Red Bulls Academy players that have been with the team throughout preseason, including Joey Zalinsky, who featured with NYRB II last season.
“They were really good, they are really looking to contribute and when they came on, they brought a lot of great energy,” Wolyniec said.
Rafanello scored his first goal as a member of New York Red Bulls II and played the full 90 minutes.
“He played well, you can see he is still learning how we want him to play,” Wolyniec said. “He is excited to be with us and he has shown it every time he gets an opportunity to play.”
NYRB II started their list of scrimmages off with a win and will look to continue preparation for the 2021 season, when they scrimmage against Hartford Athletic on April 16.
“Defensively we were good, we got a lot of solid efforts from guys, so a real positive,” Wolyneic said. “It is great to see, it is great for our guys to get prepared and start moving towards the first game.”
