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Showing posts from June, 2021

Patson Daka Departs Salzburg for Leicester City

Red Bull Salzburg striker Patson Daka will depart the team and join the Premier League side Leicester City in a move that greatly shifts the balance of power in England. Daka has been a fantastic goal-scorer for Salzburg, helping the team reach the double and UEFA Champions League in the past two seasons. "I have experienced so many unbelievable things in the close to five years at FC Red Bull Salzburg," said Daka. "It is like I am leaving my home a bit. I feel though that it is about time for me to take the next step in my career, especially after the great last season." It was, indeed, a great season for Daka who scored 34 goals in 42 games across all competitions. He was the Golden Boot winner this past season and scored 20 plus goals over the past two campaigns. All of this after the surge of interest in Erling Haaland gave him the room to grow with little criticism. Now, Daka will join a Leicester City club that is looking for that killer goal-scorer to put the

Recap: Red Bulls Draw in Painful Road Effort Against Atlanta

photo by Matt Kremkau New York Red Bulls end their two-game road trip winless after a scoreless draw with Atlanta United at Mercedes Benz Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The game was dotted with injuries to defenders Tom Edwards and Andres Reyes, while the play on the field lacked sharpness due to fixture congestion in the third game in the past week. Both teams pressed in the game but found few chances. What they did find lacked sharpness in finishing, leaving fans to watch a game that generated little excitement. An impressive crowd pressed for Atlanta to score but New York did a good job defensively to stifle their efforts. That defensive effort was thwarted with a second half injury to Reyes who now leaves New York with few options. Frankie Amaya replaced him in the game but captain Sean Davis appeared to be the one to fit into the responsibilities. Minutes later, Edwards left the game, bringing in Amro Tarek take up the duties as well. Atlanta hit the post late in the game but New Yo

Masaya Okugawa to Remain with Bielefeld in Germany

Red Bull Salzburg winger Masaya Okugawa will remain with Arminia Bielefeld permanently in the Bundesliga moving forward according to the team. The Japanese international player spent half a season with the German club but now will remain with the club in Germany's top flight. "We are pleased about the good performances Masaya had last season and about the fact that this has helped him to get his move to the German Bundesliga," said Sporting Director Christoph Freund. "All the very best to Masaya." Okugawa played in 47 games for Salzburg, scoring 14 goals and 10 assists over that stretch. The player joined the Austrian club in 2015, spending time with the reserve team FC Liefering for 64 games, scoring eight goals in that time. He also spent time on loan with SV Mattersburg and Halstein Kiel with success in both places as well.

Recap: New York Red Bulls fall to Pittsburgh Riverhounds 2-1

With early goals by Todd Wharton and Albert Dikwa despite surrendering a own goal, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds beat the New York Red Bulls II in a hard-fought match to earn their first win at home, 2-1. The New York Red Bulls II snapped a three-game losing streak in its most recent outing as Jeremy Rafanello had two goals and one assist in a 3-1 victory against the Charlotte Independence on June 16, when the side last took the field and was looking to get three points on the road. Meanwhile, Head Coach Bob Lilley and his Pittsburgh Riverhounds were looking to build from back-to-back wins to climb up in the Atlantic Division standings.  The Riverhounds wasted no time getting on the scoreboard early on as Todd Warton socred his first of the season in the 14th minute, taking a great pass from Kenoardo Forbes in the center of the box. New York was able to answer back in the 26th minute when midfielder Daniel Edelman sent in a corner kick that was dropped by the Riverhounds goalkeeper Daniel

Leipzig 2021-22 Schedule Released: Bayern in Week 4

RB Leipzig's 2021-22 Bundesliga calendar has been released, with the club starting play in Germany's first division on August 14th or 15th against 1. FSV Mainz at the Opel Arena. Mainz ended last season on a high note, finishing in 15th place. At one point it appeared as if they would be a relegation candidate. The schedule only gets more treacherous from there as Leipzig will play Bayern Munich at Red Bull Arena in Week 4. To this point Leipzig have been unable to top the German giants but new manager Jesse Marsch is confident in his team's ability heading into the new campaign. "Mainz and Stuttgart are exciting opponents, followed by big games against Wolfsburg and FC Bayern," said manager Jesse Marsch. "Oour first game in the new-look Red Bull Arena will be something special and hopefully we'll have fans back for that. We're raring to go and can't wait to start training in two weeks." Leipzig are in a state of transition at the moment, fol

Salzburg Sign Boca Midfielder Nico Capaldo

Red Bull Salzburg continue their preparations for the 2021-22 season with the signing of 22-year old Boca Juniors midfielder Nico Capaldo. The versatile defensive player has patrolled the midfield as well as play right-back in recent history in Argentina. "We have been monitoring Nicolas for a while," said Sporting Director Christoph Freund. "With the way he plays football, he really suits our style and I expect it won't take him long to settle. He can play in various defensive positions, but we see him being used for us in midfield mostly." Capaldo joined Boca Juniors as a youth player in 2015 and made his first team debut in 2019. With the club he played in 36 games and won Primera Division title in 2019-20. He has also made appearances for the U23 Argentine National team, scoring a goal against Brazil. "I am in Europe for the first time and I find it very exciting," said Capaldo. "It's a big step into a new world of football for me, and I a

Recap: Late Comeback Not Enough as New York Lose 3-2

photo by Matt Kremkau Revolution midfielder Carles Gil put on a show for the home fans as he assisted with all three goals. The New York Red Bulls fought back in the second half but would fall short to the conference-leading New England Revolution 3-2, winning their fifth straight match. Head coach Gerhard Struber and his team felt confident going into this match, looking for a different result from the lopsided 3-1 loss they suffered one month ago. Complicating matters for New York was the injury bug claiming yet another player as midfielder Caden Clark was sidelined with appendicitis and needed surgery.  The match started pretty even right from kick-off, just like last time. The Red Bulls nearly got on the board first when in the 12th minute, Dru Yearwood's taking a pass from Sean Davis, shot from the left side of the box but drifted high and off the post.  But, in the 26th minute, the magic of Carles Gil in midfield would get things started for the Revolution. Delivering a world

Leipzig Sign New York Youngster Caden Clark

photo by Matt Kremkau RB Leipzig have made the move for New York Red Bulls midfielder Caden Clark. The 18-year old American will remain in New York for the remainder of the year, joining Leipzig in January of 2022. "He can play anywhere," said Leipzig Technical Director Christopher Vivell. "He is a scoring threat, has great passing quality and strikes the ball well, allowing him to score goals from range. These skills make him a perfect fit for our playing philosophy." This move had been planned for more than a year. Early work on this came while Clark was still playing for New York Red Bulls II. Over the that time he scored three goals in 12 games. When moving to the first team in MLS, Clark as scored six goals in 15 games.  Clark is yet another example of a highly talented American moving to the Bundesliga. Tyler Adams made the move several years ago, along with Josh Sargent and Gio Reyna. The pipeline to Europe continues to produce for MLS teams and Clark is yet

Will New York Red Bulls II Leave USL for New MLS Lower Division?

photo by Matt Kremkau New York Red Bulls II have been a major part of the revival of the USL after joining the league in 2015. The team has been one of the more consistent clubs on the field and the only MLS 2 club to win a USL Cup. All of this may come to an end after the announcement that MLS will be starting a lower division league in 2022, potentially poaching teams like New York Red Bulls II from the USL. The new league, announced today , will feature 20 teams to start and will kick off in March of 2022. The formate will be similar to the USL will a schedule structure that will have a playoff at the end of the campaign. While, it may seem redundant given the fact that USL already provides such opportunity, New York will be placed in a position to chose between a relationship that has been quite fruitful, or fall into alignment with MLS. "The new league will develop a diverse talent pool of coaches, referees and front office executives," said MLS commissioner Don Garber d

Struber Looks to Replicate Home Form on the Road

photo by Matt Kremkau New York Red Bulls head coach Gerhard Struber has had success at Red Bull Arena, winning their last four games at home but now hope to carry that momentum on the road against the New England Revolution. Thus far New York has been unable to win away from Harrison, N.J. with three straight losses to start the year. "My team shows me very, very good moments," said Struber about the team's overall performance on the road. "The problem was more that we were not constantly good over 90 minutes." The team's last game on the road was against New England where they scored first but were unable to hold the lead, eventually losing 3-1 and having defender Andres Reyes sent off. Despite the overall result, Struber and the team feel confident that they can extend their momentary strong form for longer portions of the game. "Right now we are one step further in our process and I hope that we can also realize forward in the next game's good pe

Salzburg: Ashimeru Makes Loan to Anderlecht Permanent

Majeed Ashimeru won't be returning to Red Bull Salzburg for the 2021-22 season and instead will make his loan to Anderlecht in Belgium permanent according to the team. The 23 year-old Ghanaian international joined Salzburg in 2017 but only played in 42 matches over that stretch. "For Majeed, the loan was a good solution for all parties," said Sporting Director Christoph Freund. "He played well in a strong league last season and is joining RSC Anderlecht permanently. We wish him the very best." Over the 42 games that Ashimeru played with Salzburg, he scored three goals and notched eight assists. Over that time he has seen massive turnover with the club including managers Marco Rose and Jesse Marsch. The team was incredibly successful over that time and has solidified itself as a constant Champions League contender. Unfortunately it did not appear as if Ashimeru was being considered as a part of the teams future plans. The move continues a string of transfers that

Recap: Fabio First Goal Takes Down Nashville

photo by Matt Kremkau HARRISON, NJ - The New York Red Bulls celebrated their return from the international break by taking down yet another undefeated team thanks to goals by both Fabio and Kyle Duncan, heading Nashville SC their first loss of the season, 2-0. The two squads have never faced each other in league play, and with Nashville SC coming into Red Bull Arena as one of the two undefeated teams left in MLS (the other being Seattle), the New York Red Bulls wanted to win against a solid team before heading off for a three-game road trip. The match started off with a defensive stalemate as both teams traded chances, but neither squad would capitalize on them.  In the 37th minute, the Red Bulls broke through the stalemate when Patrik Klimala floated the ball over to Fabio and, with one touch, volleyed home his first goal of the season and his first as a Red Bull to put the home side ahead, 1-0. C.J. Sapong thought he leveled the match with his goal in the 48th minute, but thankfully

Jensen Departs Red Bulls on Loan

photo by Matt Kremkau New York Red Bulls have announced that goalkeeper David Jensen is leaving the club on loan to KVC Westerlo in Belgium. The former first-choice goalkeeper has found himself on the outside looking in in 2021 with Carlos Coronel being the primary keeper for New York. "We wish David the best as he heads over to play at Westerlo," said Head of Sport Kevin Thelwell. "He is a professional on and off the field, and he hope he excels during his stint at Westerlo." Jensen joined the club in 2020 and quickly made himself the starting keeper, beating out Ryan Meara who many thought was destined for the role. The Danish keeper made 15 appearances for the club and posted a 1.45 goals-against average. Despite a strong showing, he quickly found himself being the third choice keeper this season under the new guidance of head coach Gerhard Struber. Whether or not Jensen returns for 2022 remains to be seen. However, the club has made strides with younger keepers

Recap: Rafanello's Brace Powers NYRB II Past Charlotte

In a physical match that featured everything, including scuffles and red cards, Jeremy Rafanello scored two goals and bagged an assist as the New York Red Bulls II earned a hard-fought victory against the Charlotte Independence 3-1. The team returned home to MSU Soccer Park on Friday night, still looking for their first win in front of their home supporters and most importantly, snapping their three-match losing streak. Head Coach John Wolyniec wanted his team to put the match on their terms for a change. And right at kickoff, they did just that. Deploying the press and putting the Independence on their heels, they were rewarded in the 8th minute when Rolad Mitchell, on a break, raced through the Charlotte defense. His initial shot was first blocked away by goalkeeper Brandon Miller. Still, Mitchell regained possession of the rebound, fired a low ball over to Jeremy Rafanello, who buried the ball in the back of the net for the early lead.  They nearly doubled the lead during a wild seq

New York Red Bulls II Match Postponed Due to Weather

photo by Matt Kremkau Due to very severe weather in the local area, Saturday night's match between the Charleston Battery and the New York Red Bulls II has been postponed after a lengthy delay. The match will not be played on Sunday. The Charleston Battery has released the official statement on Twitter: #CHSvNY update: Tonight's match with @NYRBII has been postponed due to inclement weather. The match will not be played tomorrow. We appreciate everyone’s patience this evening. All ticket holders will receive an email on how to redeem their ticket(s) for a future match. pic.twitter.com/FhlbqrSOAG — Charleston Battery (@Chas_Battery) June 13, 2021 With the match now officially postponed, the New York Red Bulls head back home to MSU Soccer Park in Montclair as they face the Charlotte Independence on Wednesday night. The kickoff is scheduled for 8:00PM EDT.

New York Extends Loan of Striker Fabio to End of Season

photo by Matt Kremkau New York Red Bulls have extended the loan of striker Fabio Netto to the end of the season according to the team. Originally, the deal between New York and Oeste FC was to keep the player in MLS through June but now, after a successful start, Director of Sport Kevin Thelwell and coach Gerhard Struber are keen to keep him longer. "We have a big trust in Fabio and excited to have him for the remainder of the year," said Struber in a club statement. "He has been able to learn our system and make an impact already. We hope to see more success from him throughout the year." Fabio has not scored a goal in MLS but has been instrumental in creating chances for the club through the first seven weeks of the season. He is currently ranked second with four assists, making him an essential part of the attack without reaching his full potential. Whether Fabio remains as a permanent player will depend on how he finishes his campaign. It would always be a quest

Recap: New York Red Bulls II Suffer Worst Defeat Ever Against Hartford 7-0

Juan Carlos Obregon and Preston Tabor Etaka scored two goals. Danny Barrera bagged four assists as Hartford Athletic remained unbeaten and thoroughly out-classed a stacked New York Red Bulls II side by an embarrassing final score of 7-0. Coach John Wolyneic received reinforcements with seven players from the Red Bulls' first team in the lineup for tonight's match to remain match-fit during the FIFA International Break. Unfortunately for him and the team, they wouldn't even be a factor during the match. The action was fast and furious within the first few minutes after kickoff. Hartford Athletic nearly got on the scoreboard early as Juan Carlos Obregon's chance hit the post after receiving a corner kick from Danny Barrera in the 10th minute.  The New York Red Bulls II also had a chance to get on the scoreboard, but Omir Fernandez's header glanced off the crossbar. The Athletic immediately responded on the break. This time, Juan Carlos Obregon Jr. would not be denied,

Wolyniec on NYRB II: "We Need to be a little bit Braver"

New York Red Bulls II suffered another loss at home on Wednesday night against the Tampa Bay Rowdies but head coach John Wolyniec sees the upside in what has been a horrible start to the campaign. The very young squad has had stretches of strong play, including nearly finding an equalizer late in the game, but have been unable to do it for longer stretches. "We need to be a little braver," said Wolyniec about his team's play late in the game. "I think we started to find some spaces, make some plays, we probably needed to be a bit more intelligent about how we go about attacking that team but we certainly did start to create some things and not enough for our standards." New York has dangerous options on offense. We've seen Jake LaCava and Omar Sowe stand out as potential break out players. Roald Mitchell has also found a niche in the past few games but the combination of players has not led to a goal-scoring outburst that could see this team string wins toge

Recap: Red Bulls II Lose Again at Home 1-0 to Tampa Bay

New York Red Bulls II extended their winless streak at MSU Soccer Park with a 1-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Rowdies on Wednesday night. The game's only goal came in the 32nd minute as a defensive lapse opened the door for Jordan Adebayo-Smith to score. The first half was dominated by Tampa who imposed their will over their younger opponents. Numerous scoring opportunities presented themselves but goalkeeper Anthony Marcucci was more than up for the task. His saves kept New York alive until the first goal. A precise pass from Jordan Doherty split the Red Bulls' defense and Adebayo-Smith run past two defenders for a one-on-one opportunity. With a calm finish, he slotted the ball past Marcucci for the goal. New York came out for the second half with more energy and controlled the pace of play. Their opportunities were limited but they nearly equalized after creating chaos in the box in the 90th minute. Rowdies keeper Evan Louro was unable to get control of the ball but no Red Bulls pl

New York Red Bulls Trade Brian White to Vancouver

photo by Matt Kremkau New York Red Bulls have traded forward Brian White to the Vancouver Whitecaps for 400 thousand dollars in General Allocation money. The move could have been made in order to lock in an agreement with striker Fabio on a permanent move to the MLS club. "We'd like to thank Brian for his contributions to the club," said Director of Sport Kevin Thelwell in a club statement. "He made great strides as a professional since being drafted and has always represented the organization well on and off the field. We wish Brian all the best in the next stage of his career." White joined New York as a first round SuperDraft pick in 2018. From there he made his debut with New York Red Bulls II, where he scored eight goals in five months. From there he joined the first team and scored 15 goals in 48 appearances. The move frees up money for New York to make moves as the transfer market opens in July. It also puts the focus on current strikers Fabio and Patryk

Salzburg: Stankovic Leaves for Greece After Six Years

Cican Stankovic has been a top choice goalkeeper for Red Bull Salzburg since 2015 and now moves on from the team, joining AEK Athens on a four year contract. "I had a really exciting time at FC Red Bull Salzburg," said Stankovic about his time with the club. "I now want to see something new and gain new experiences in a new country and in a new league." Stankovic made 152 appearances for Salzburg, lifting the Austrian Bundesliga title six times along with five Austrian cups. He played through the Europa League and Salzburg's climb into the UEFA Champions League. He moves on at the age of 28 with a large amount of experience. "He was a strong and dependable backstop," said Sporting Director Christoph Freund. "After his successful time with us he now wants to do and experience something different. We were able to come to an agreement with AEK Athens and wish Cican all the best at his new club." The fee for Stankovic has been rumored to be just

Growing Pains Not a Failure for Red Bulls II

New York Red Bulls II have gotten off to a stuttering start in the 2021 USL Championship with much of their woes being attributed to the team being so young. Despite the frustrations, head coach John Wolyniec doesn't see this as a negative. It is a team that is learning on the job and gaining the experience needed to continue to on to the first team. "We are going to have some growing pains," said Wolyniec in the lead of to tomorrow's game against the Tampa Bay Rowdies. "Not to see that as a failure but as an opportunity to get better. We certainly want more results and we want to win games and be more competitive, especially at home, that has been frustrating." New York has been unable to win any of their four games at MSU Soccer Park thus far this season, with the most recent loss being a 3-0 effort against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds. The team battled the elements on a cold and rainy Friday night but they were not able to make their mark. This leaves Red B

Salzburg Sign Young Goalkeeper Jonas Krumrey

Red Bull Salzburg are filling the gaps left by player departures with the signing of young goalkeeper Jonas Krumrey. The 17 year-old keeper has signed with the team for two seasons thru 2024 and has been with the team's academy since 2017. "Jonas is the kind of player who embodies our futuristic football," said Sporting Director Christoph Freund. "He is really young but has an extraordinary talent and is not in the squad of FC Liefering already for nothing." Krumrey has passed through just about all of the age groups in the Red Bull Academy, winning championships in the U16 and U18 squads. He was also called in the U18 German international team, making him one of the better prospects for the team and across Europe.