New York Red Bulls II open their new home at Montclair State University in fantastic fashion. RB2 broke in their new stadium with a 1-0 victory against the Richmond Kickers. The match saw them dominate in every aspect while Richmond packed it in and tried to hit on the counter.
Zeiko Lewis opened up the scoring in the 69th minute as tapped in a deflection of a corner. Hassan Ndam went for the overhead kick and the deflection off several defenders fell to a waiting Lewis. This would be the lone and deciding goal in this one. Richmond was able to throw a few shots on goal, in the end none were that troubling. RB2 is off to a solid start this season, grabbing four out of a possible six points.
New York Red Bulls II vs. Richmond Kickers: Three Things I Noticed
New Stadium, New Look
One of the biggest pieces news for Red Bulls II this off season was the move from Red Bull Arena to Montclair State University. The Red Bulls II side certainly enjoyed a much more condensed crowd for a home match. The 2016 season saw them playing in front of a pretty much empty Red Bull Arena. The crowd of 806 made MSU Soccer Park feel much more of a home match. They will enjoy each others presence for many years to come.
Opportunities Knocking
It is no doubt RB2 is missing some of their stars of last season. Being without the likes of Brandon Allen, Derrick Etienne Jr., and Tyler Adams certainly hurts. However, this can create more positives then negatives. Showing that there is a path that can be achieved to the first team has certainly raised the level of play and intensity for this team. RB2 have quite a few players who can be knocking on the door of the first team very soon.
Like First Team, Like Second Team
These two teams are almost identically similar with the way they press. Red Bulls II had crushing pressure on Richmond in this match. This forced Richmond to play long balls over the top for almost the entirety of the match. Richmond broke the press a few times, in the end RB2 were able to deal with it rather easily. With the ease this team can play with the press, it bodes well for the transition from second team to first in the future. Many players on the first team have shown the good transition.
