FC Cincinnati 2

FC Cincinnati 2 return home for midweek battle against New York Red Bulls II

20240317 FCC2vsCHIii Match CL 254

FC Cincinnati 2 return home to Scudamore Field at NKU Soccer Stadium this Thursday, March 28, to take on New York Red Bulls II in Matchweek 3 of the MLS NEXT Pro season. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. ET.

Gates will open at 5 p.m. ET and tickets for the match can be redeemed using the FC Cincinnati App or SeatGeek App. A step by step guide on how to claim your tickets can be found here.

The match will also stream live on mlsnextpro.com.

FC CINCINNATI 2 vs NEW YORK RED BULLS II – THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2023 – 6 P.M. ET – SCUDAMORE FIELD AT NKU SOCCER STADIUM

Keep up with all things FC Cincinnati 2 @FCCincinnati2 on X, Instagram and Facebook.

FC CINCINNATI 2 NOTES

DEBUTS FOR THE YOUNG GARYS – Two more FC Cincinnati Academy players made their MLS NEXT Pro debut in Chattanooga this past weekend. Blake Bayless played 52 minutes after coming on as a first half substitute while Justin Hylton played eight minutes in the second half. 

Stefan Chirila, who made his MLSNP debut against Chicago Fire FC II in Matchweek 1, made his second consecutive appearance for the Orange and Blue, playing 29 minutes in place of Ben Stitz.

Five current FCC Academy players have made appearances for FC Cincinnati 2 through the first two matches of the season (Bayless, Chirila, Hylton, Samways, Stout).

WEEKDAY MATCHES – Thursday’s meeting with New York will be the first weekday match of the year for the Orange and Blue. FC Cincinnati 2 will play five weekday matches in 2024 after playing a combined eight through the first two years of MLS NEXT Pro play.

FCC 2 will have an early season break following Thursday’s encounter before returning home for a second straight weekday match against New England Revolution II on Wednesday, April 10.

SCOUTING NEW YORK RED BULLS II (1-0-1, 5 PTS., 3RD IN EASTERN CONFERENCE)
New York Red Bulls II are off and running in their second season in MLS NEXT Pro after joining the league in 2023. A fourth-place finish in the Eastern Conference, and a first-ever MLS NEXT Pro playoff win against Chicago Fire FC II last season, will have Red Bulls II thinking postseason play once again in 2024.

Midfielder Ibrahim Kasule leads the charge for Red Bulls II following a 2023 campaign that saw the Ugandan international score 15 MLSNP goals, tied for the fifth most across the league. Kasule has carried that success into 2024 after notching a brace against Inter Miami CF II last Sunday and picking up two assists in the season opener against Columbus Crew 2. Kasule leads the team in both categories.

Red Bulls II roster remains largely unchanged from the club’s inaugural season in MLSNP with nine players returning for year two with New York. Recent additions to the squad include goalkeeper Dallas Odle, who joins on an MLSNP contract from Tusla FC, midfielder Jair Collahuazo and defender Malick Dembele. Collahuazo and Malick arrive in New York on season long loans from C.S. Emelec and Yeelen Olimpique, respectively.

Ibrahim Sekagya enters his second season as head coach of New York Red Bulls II, and his tenth season with the organization in a coaching role. Sekagya joined Red Bulls II in 2015 as an assistant coach before being hired as head coach in 2023.