Red Bulls Draw with Orlando City in a Cloudy Saturday Clash

On a cloudy Saturday afternoon (15th), the New York Red Bulls played to a 2-2 draw against Orlando City at Sports Illustrated Stadium. The visitors took the lead twice, but the home side remained composed and fought back to secure the equalizer each time.

Martin Ojeda and Marco Pasalic found the net for Orlando, while Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Gjengaar scored for New York.

Notably, Choupo-Moting’s goal was his first for the Red Bulls. Signed to be the team’s primary goal scorer, the 35-year-old veteran showed energy, particularly in the first half, moving well between defenders, seeking the ball, and creating opportunities for his teammates.

Neither Side Benefits from the Draw

The result was disappointing for both teams, as they remain outside the playoff spots in the Eastern Conference. The Red Bulls sit in 10th place with five points, while Orlando is just behind them in 11th with four.

Defensive Struggles

Despite enjoying more possession in the first half, New York struggled to create real goal-scoring chances. Meanwhile, Orlando capitalized on the Red Bulls’ defensive lapses to score both of their goals.

For the first goal, Noah Eile gave Martin Ojeda too much space near midfield, allowing him to advance and fire a powerful shot from the edge of the box into the net.

For the second, Raheem Edwards failed to hold the defensive line, playing Pasalic onside. After a precise pass from Atuesta, Pasalic found himself unmarked and slotted the ball past the keeper.

Red Bulls head coach Sandro Schwarz addressed the defensive positioning but remained unconcerned.

“I don’t have concerns about how we defend over the next weeks, but we need our focus, we need our energy level. This is the next step when you want to play dominant with a lot of ball possession—creating moments in the final third without losing energy, intensity, or defensive organization.”

Injury Woes Continue

Setting up a competitive lineup has been a challenge for Schwarz due to ongoing injury issues. The team was once again without key winger Lewis Morgan, who underwent surgery last week and is expected to be sidelined for at least six weeks.

In addition to Morgan, the Red Bulls’ injury list includes Ronald Donkor, Kyle Duncan, Cameron Harper, Wiktor Bogacz, Mohammed Sofo, Roald Mitchell, and Marcelo Morales.

With limited attacking options, Schwarz turned to Julian Hall, Serge Ngoma, and Wiki Carmona for reinforcements, but they were only introduced late in the match.

Coronel’s Crucial Saves

The Red Bulls could have left empty-handed if not for goalkeeper Carlos Coronel. The Paraguayan shot-stopper made two crucial saves near the end of the game, ensuring his team secured at least a point.

International Call-Ups Add to Squad Concerns

New York also announced that Coronel and left-back Omar Valencia have been called up for international duty with Paraguay and Panama, respectively. More call-ups are expected throughout the week, further depleting Schwarz’s squad.

Summary

New York Red Bulls: Carlos Coronel; Raheem Edwards, Noah Eile, Sean Nealis, Alexander Hack, Dylan Nealis (Julian Hall, 76’), Peter Stroud (Felipe Carballo, 76’), Daniel Edelman, Emil Forsberg (Wiki Carmona, 90’+2), Dennis Gengaar (Serge Ngoma, 87), Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting

Orlando City SC: Pedro Gallese; Kyle Smith (David Brekalo, 82’), Rodrigo Schlegel, Robin Jansson, Alexander Freeman, Eduard Atuesta, Joran Gerbet, Ivan Angulo (Rafael Santos, 82’), Marco Pasalic (Ramiro Enrique, 82’), Luis Muriel (Duncan McGuire, 87’), Martin Ojeda (Dagur Thorhallsson, 69’)

What’s Next?

The Red Bulls will return to action next Saturday (22nd) at Sports Illustrated Stadium, where they will host Toronto FC.