Tag Archives: soccer

Charlotte FC Beats Red Bull New York 2-0

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By Raquel Laskowski

The match between Charlotte FC and Red Bull New York came down to which goalkeeper was the better passer, a difference that helped separate the visiting team from their New Jersey-based opponents in a 2-0 victory on July 25. 

Keepers Ethan Horvath (Red Bull New York) and Kristijan Kahlina (Charlotte) each stood at their post, ready to block the shots that would soon encroach on the net behind them. They watched and waited. With both teams sharing the same 6-6-4 (win-loss-draw) record, the anticipation was high.

Charlotte started strong, but by minute three, New York had majority possession, nearly scoring from a corner kick. However, defender Matthew Dos Santos miscalculated a pass from a later set piece, handing Charlotte possession of the ball. At minute six, Horvath broke and Charlotte midfielder Pep Biel scored the team’s opening goal. 

At the ten minute mark, Kahlina painted a rainbow above the field with a goal kick to Horvath, who smashed the ball out of bounds. Two minutes later, Charlotte midfielder Ashley Westwood scored off a low shot at goal after forward Kerwin Vargas found him from the left side. 

Unfortunately for their fans, New York couldn’t get the ball past Kahlina. The major difference between the teams’ strategies was the use of their respective keepers. While Charlotte utilized their keeper’s strong kicks and ability to find openings, New York wasn’t using Horvath in its passing game. This was evident in the first half, where Kahlina continuously helped Charlotte stretch their passing lanes from one side of the field, back to him, and then back to the other side with a quick ambush towards the home team’s goal. 

In contrast, New York’s offense relied on passing between midfielders and wings with high crosses. That strategy allowed Charlotte to knock the ball away with ease and regain possession. Horvath received only his second pass in the 39th minute of the game. He kicked it down the field, where Charlotte players again stole possession and passed the ball downfield towards the goal. 

When the whistle blew and the second half began, Red Bull New York adopted Charlotte’s formula: using their keeper to add to the team’s on-field passing dynamic. With both teams passing from keeper to keeper, the gameplay turned from formations and passing plays to aggressive blocks and steals. New York’s new strategy worked. They held possession for the majority of the second half, taking 23 shots on their way. 

Unfortunately for New York, their late shift in strategy could not make up for their performance in the first half of the game. Kahlina made 47 pass attempts, nearly doubling Horvath’s 19. It makes sense that the final score followed suit.

Frustration and the Future: New York Red Bulls Disappoint

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By Ahmad Elhassan

Blasting fireworks, rolling out talented young players and hosting an oddly large Elmo, Red Bull New York seemed poised to make an explosive return to Sports Illustrated Stadium after the MLS World Cup break. But at the sound of the final whistle, fans looked up at a 0-2 score against Charlotte FC asking a single question: “Was the crown too heavy for our Red Bulls?” 

Within twelve minutes of kickoff, Charlotte midfielders Pep Biel and Ashley Westwood spoiled New York’s first home in over two months, silencing fans with what would be the only two goals of the game. At the start of the game, all eyes were on Red Bull New York’s eighteen-year-old phenom striker Julian Hall, but attention was quickly diverted to Charlotte’s mastery of the midfield and rapid counterattacks. Both goals came on the end of low-swung crosses from wingers Liel Adaba and Kerwin Vargas. New York’s midfield was being carved up. 

New York responded in the second half with a poor performance by midfielder Ronald Donkor and missed chances by captain Emil Forsberg. The crowd was in utter shock. Charlotte keeper Kristijan Kahlina made incredible saves, winning him the respect of a hostile crowd, though New York’s 16 attempted shots were more often directed at the crowd than the net. 

A showdown between Red Bull winger Cade Cowell and Charlotte defender Harry Toffolo displayed how challenging yet wholesome a physical battle of speed and precision can be. The two hugged after each slide tackle, quietly acknowledging one another’s skill and sound tactics.

A series of fouls led to a red card for Adri Mehmeti near the end of the game. The seventeen-year-old’s sendoff gave New York a reason to utilize the veterans and experienced transfer players who serve as mentors for their younger teammates.  Fosberg commented on the situation after the game. “Like I said, it’s always easy to blame everybody after you lose,” he said. 

All-Star Hall appeared particularly upset with the lack of pressing by his fellow attackers. His visible pouting captured the sorrow New York felt in the final half of the game, and the frustration that Hall, specifically, may have felt with the tactics of his team. 

As the crowd booed the home team off the pitch, a Charlotte crown loomed over soccer’s biggest untapped market: U.S. fans. The energy in the stadium was high, but not high enough to carry Red Bull New York to a win. Home-field advantage proved less useful to the team than a midfield that could execute. 

But maybe it was just the Jersey summer air.

Red Bull New York’s Defensive Drought Continues

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By Yeisbel Peña

Charlotte FC needed just twelve minutes to decide their July 25 match at Sports Illustrated Stadium, beating Red Bull New York, 2-0, in a match decided not by sustained pressure, but by consistent defensive lapses. 

Both goals came in the opening stretch of the game, with Charlotte’s Pep Biel striking in the seventh minute and Ashley Westwood scoring another in the twelfth. On the other end of the field, Charlotte Keeper Kristijan Kahlina finished with five saves to close out the shutout in front of a home crowd that had barely settled in their seats before the deficit hit two. 

The early Red Bull collapse reflected a season-long struggle for the team’s back line. Dylan Nealis, Justin Che, Julián Bazán and Matthew Dos Santos have rotated through the defense amid injuries and inconsistent form. Neither of the team’s centerbacks closed in on Biel in time to stop his opener. Charlotte worked the ball through the midfield unchallenged, landing a low finish from just inside the box. Westwood found even more room on the second goal, arriving at the back post without a Red Bull defender in sight. 

Charlotte’s defense had its shaky stretches, too. The visiting team conceded chances late in first-half stoppage time and again after the break as New York’s Cade Cowell, Emil Forsberg and Adri Mehmeti pushed forward, looking for a way back into the match. Mehmeti forced a save in the closing minutes of the game, but Charlotte’s back line, marshaled by Kahlina’s five stops, held on comfortably enough that the outcome was rarely in doubt. 

The loss dropped the Red Bulls to 6-4-7 on the season, 22 points, while Charlotte improved to 7-4-6, 25 points, tightening the race in a crowded Eastern Conference table. Neither club sits comfortably in its conference standing, a detail that fits a broader trend across the league this year. MLS teams have generally found it easier to score than to stop opponents from scoring.

Roster turnover, congested fixture lists tied to international windows, and league-wide spending that favors attackers over centerbacks have left many clubs cycling through back-line combinations without ever settling on a consistent unit. Saturday’s match compressed that trend into a dozen minutes, as two early defensive breakdowns decided a game that otherwise stayed competitive from end to end.

For Red Bull New York, the result renews questions about whether the roster has kept pace with a division growing more direct in the final third at a time when reliable defensive options remain difficult to find across the MLS.

Clean Up on the BULLevard

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By Kamiyah Hill

As thousands of fans took their seats at Sports Illustrated Stadium, Red Bull New York was not the only focus of the crowd. The stadium, which holds over 20,000 people, leaves a lasting impression on anyone who has ever stepped inside. During Saturday’s game against Charlotte FC, fans filled the stadium hoping to see a win. But would that excitement hold? 

One reason for the excitement: Game day, July 25, was the birthday of the team’s mascot, REDD. A party for REDD was held at a fan event called The BULLevard, where the well-known cast of Sesame Street welcomed young Red Bull fans to celebrate with meet-and-greets with Elmo, coloring stations, face painting, and games. The Red Bull logo was everywhere. Fans were encouraged to arrive early to receive a limited edition REDD bobble head.

After making it past security, the majority of the crowd went up a large staircase to the stadium’s concourse, where food vendors lined the walkway. The smell of the greasy chicken tenders, fries and pizzas was striking. Fans searched for their seats in sections labeled above staircases, which made the area easy to navigate. 

The stadium appeared to be freshly cleaned; the floors were wet and shiny, presumably mopped and pedestrians navigated the paths without much foot traffic. In a women’s bathroom near third story Section 224, the floor was clear save for a few tiny ants marching between the stalls. The bathroom was accessible, fully stocked and welcoming to all, with many stalls and sinks available. 

The rows in the upper stands were close together, forcing fans to stand from their seats to allow others to pass or turn vertically to slip through, which made it hard for others to get to their seats. The stands were trash-free and the seats left no residue.

Fireworks went off before the game began, leaving behind a thick grey smoke that made it hard to see the action. As the smoke cleared, children and adults walked onto the pitch holding a New York Red Bull banner during the national anthem, which was followed by another firework display. The game began shortly after. 

At halftime, youth teams took the field while Elmo helped REDD celebrate his birthday with a cake. If the environment was supposed to be family friendly, many fans did not receive the message. Older fans yelled out profanities and degrading chants, disappointed by their team’s poor performance in a 0-2 loss to Charlotte FC. 

Despite the loss and the inconsiderate behavior of some of those present, the fans had fun and the stands were clean. For some, that’s enough. But for others, the bathroom conditions, lingering fireworks smoke and lack of space in the stands might be a dealbreaker.