Preview: Red Bulls Open Season Against Orlando City

photo by Matt Kremkau

by Anthony J. Merced

New York Red Bulls begin a new era on Apple TV this weekend in the opening match of 2023 against Orlando City SC. The game will be a rematch of the 2022 US Open Cup semi-final, where New York were ousted by the Florida-side and went on to win their first major trophy.

The game will see a mostly familiar line-up from New York. Returning players such as Lewis Morgan, newly minted captain Sean Nealis, Cristian Casseres Jr. and John Tolkin are all expected to make appearances. New forward Corey Burke may also get significant minutes with the incoming Dante Vanzeir still a few weeks away from match fitness.

"We were consistent in the preseason," said Nealis about the team's preparation. "If we could translate that over to the regular season where there are three games a week sometimes, I think that'll be the biggest growth and improvement factor this year and I think we can do that."

Orlando has seen several key players depart the club this off-season. Joao Moutinho, Alexandre Pato and Tesho Akindele are just a few names that won't appear on the roster. The team did bring in former Red Bull Felipe Martins as a free agent to add veteran leadership to the club. They will also be integrating a number of new signings who may not see as many minutes in week one.

Despite the US Open Cup loss, New York did have a 3-0 win over Orlando in Exploria Stadium back in April of 2022. New York's road form was one of their standout traits last season, taking a surprising nine wins away from Harrison, NJ. If they can keep that pace, it should be a successful start to the season.

Projected Starting XI:

Goalkeeper: Carlos Coronel

Defenders: John Tolkin, Sean Nealis, Andres Reyes, Dylan Nealis

Midfielders: Cristian Casseres Jr., Frankie Amaya, Lewis Morgan, Luquinhas

Forwards: Corey Burke, Elias Manoel

Comments

Red Bulls Announce Fan Experience Improvements

by Garry Redman On top of the theme nights announced this season, something new has been added the next time the season ticket holders and supporters step inside The Cathedral... The state-of-the-art LED lighting system at Red Bull Arena will provide higher on-field light levels for enhanced visibility and safety and introduce new entertainment features that heighten the overall experience for spectators. Built around Musco's Total Light Control—TLC for LED™ technology, the new system is designed to provide exceptional playability and uniformity while minimizing glare. Cleaner, whiter light will elevate the broadcast quality for fans watching around the world. Color-changing fixtures and Show-Light® Pro entertainment technology will allow the Red Bulls to wash the stadium in different colors and synchronize light shows to music, heightening the fan experience during goal celebrations, player introductions, and other big moments. If you have no idea what this means, click here t

Rumor: Dru Yearwood to be Traded to Nashville SC

photo by Matt Kremkau by Anthony J. Merced More trade rumors are circulating as Red Bulls midfielder Dru Yearwood is linked to a move to Nashville SC according to Tom Bogert of the Athletic . What Red Bull will receive for such a trade remains to be seen. However expectations are that the move will be finalized by the end of next week. Yearwood joined New York in 2020 from Brentford in England. Along the way he has made 86 appearances for the club, including 55 starts. In 2021 and 2022 he made 18 starts, scoring three goals and three assists, his total output for the club in Major League Soccer. In 2023 Yearwood found his position in the club to vary greatly. At times he played in a defensive midfield role next to Frankie Amaya and other times higher up the field, almost as a second forward. After the departure of Cristian Casseres Jr. earlier in the year, it appeared as if Yearwood's minutes would increase. However Daniel Edelman stepped into the role, relegating Yearwood to more

Ex-Red Bulls Coach Gerhard Struber Shares Thoughts on MLS and Salzburg

photo by Matt Kremkau by Anthony J. Merced Red Bull News Network had the chance to communicate with former New York Red Bulls head coach Gerhard Struber, now the manager of Red Bull Salzburg in the Austrian Bundesliga. Struber was with New York from the end of the 2020 campaign through to the early part of 2023. Along the way he secured two playoff berths, a seventh and fourth place finish in 2021 and 2022 respectively. While his time was ended abruptly in MLS, his memories of the American version of the game have helped him prepare for such a monumental task in Europe. You spent nearly three seasons in Major League Soccer with the New York Red Bulls, what did you learn from that experience that has made you a different coach at Red Bull Salzburg? Struber: In addition to the sporting aspects, there is a lot that I was able to gain from my work at New York Red Bulls. Any work in a foreign country not only brings you closer to the language, but also to the culture and mentality of the pe

Red Bull News Network

Search This Blog