With Disappointment Comes Hope: After Hot Start, New-Look RBNY Fall To SKC In Home Opener
Introducing our Newest Blog Writer – Matt Cia
Hello all,
My name is Matt Cia and I am a massive Red Bull New York supporter. As a blog writer for MLS aces, I will be contributing my opinions and unbiased thoughts about RBNY and their affiliates. I will also provide my thoughts on the USMNT and USWNT, whether it be about their current form or future development. I have spent my entire life in love with the sport of soccer – as of this writing, I can confidently say that the flame will not dim any time soon. As a someone who has supported RBNY for over a decade and been involved with both the Viking Army Supporters Club and the Empire Supporters Club, I have had many opportunities to see the red side of New York. My RBNY fandom has taken me places I would have never gone on my own. Whether it’s eating endless Kansas City BBQ at the US Open Cup Final in 2017, drinking the freshest coffee in the States during a recent Portland/Seattle away trip or watching away matches in Philadelphia, New York City, DC, and New England - my plan is to watch RBNY play in every stadium in the United States. After all, as the fan-favorite chant goes, “where you go, we’ll follow”. I am proud of the culture that this organization has implemented - a young, aggressive, and forever growing team that continues to bring hope to soccer fans all over the NY/NJ Metropolitan area. Whether you’ve been a fan since MLS’s inaugural season or a brand new fans experiencing MLS for the first time, I am excited to express my views and my love for American Soccer as best I can.
Cheers,
Matt Cia
Finally, after over 412 days, MLS is back. This offseason brought something that many RBNY fans had been demanding: wholesale change. With a new coach in Gerhard Struber, acquired from England’s Championship side Barnsley at the end of the 2020 season, multiple changes in the front office, and at least seven new player signings, the 2021 season brings with it a new wave of Metro soccer. These new player signings include Youba Diarra and Carlos Miguel from sister club RB Salzburg, both of whom were in the starting lineup and look to be key players in this year’s team. Of course, with this new wave of player signings comes the release of RBNY stalwarts. Over the off season, nine players left the club, including young, homegrown talents from the academy like Ben Mines, Jared Stroud, and Chris Lema. However, what shockingly overshadowed this offseason was the crazy situation behind Kaku’s move abroad (which I’ll cover in a later post once more information becomes available). With all these changes, fans had no real expectations on how this club would look and what players they would field on Game Day. For some fans, myself included, this felt like a breath of fresh air and a possible glimpse into the future success of this club.
I was one of the few fans in attendance at Red Bull Arena to witness RBNY take on a Western Conference Powerhouse in Sporting KC. Though I had attended a closed door friendly against RBNY rival DC United the week before, which elicited a whirlwind of emotions, it didn’t carry the same feeling as an MLS match such as this. RBNY had looked to start the season strong and put their best foot forward going into this match, with returning stars in Caden Clark, Kyle Duncan, and USMNT regular Aaron Long in the starting XI. However, Sporting KC fielded a lineup that is expected to compete for the MLS Cup. Though Scottish veteran Johnny Russel was not seen in the starting lineup, with Gianluca Busio leading the line, SKC was in good hands.
From the first whistle, both teams were extremely physical but failed to take the big risks one might expect from a season opening match against a non-conference opponent – it looked like everyone was trying to avoid making a crucial mistake. As both teams exchange fouls back and forth in the midfield, there were little to no real threats for either goalkeeper in the first half. Given it’s the first match of the season, perhaps this was expected - both teams seemed content to go into halftime tied at 0-0.
As the second half kicked off, both sides looked to make their mark on this season opener. RBNY looked the better side coming out of the half by making a more aggressive push into the final third, hoping to catch SKC off guard. After consistent pressure, the wunderkind Caden Clark broke through the deadlock with an absolute beauty of a volley that caught everyone, including the KC defense, off guard. Clark looks to continue his amazing form from his breakout 2020 season, which brings with it a huge ray of hope for the RBNY faithful. However, following this moment, the match seemed to go downhill within the blink of an eye.
Within 12 minutes of the opening goal, RBNY would concede two goals in a matter of minutes – what looked like an opportunity to steal three points from one of the best teams in the MLS became a familiar feeling of “here we go again”. After SKC went up 2-1, RBNY never seemed to recover their footing – though they continued to look good on defense, they could not find that final ball they needed and failed to put the pressure on the back line of SKC. As the match continued to inch towards its conclusion, the match reverted to Hail Mary crosses, time-wasting tactics, and a failure to return to their original form. The final whistle blew and RBNY fell 2-1 against Sporting KC.
Overall, I came away from this opening match with optimism. This is largely a new team, with a new coach and a new system. I choose to look at the positives in the performance of Caden Clark, who appears to be the star on this team and a massive player for the future. The RBNY defense looked great, outside of a few minutes against one of the best teams in the MLS. Finally, the club looks reinvigorated with an energy that former RBNY coach Chris Armas was never able to create. I’m excited to see what this RBNY team can do with a long, interesting season ahead of them.
As always, I’m here for all of it.
