The New York Red Bulls II (16-5-4) are preparing to host Inter Miami CF II (6-14-5) at MSU Soccer Park on the campus of Montclair State University on Sunday.
The Baby Bulls have enjoyed great success at home this season (9-1-2) as well as against their opponents (3-0-1). New York has kept clean sheets in two of their four MLS NEXT Pro meetings with Miami all-time and have only conceded four goals against their opponents from the Sunshine State.
Red Bulls Academy midfielder Dennis Nelich scored his second goal of the season in his 12th appearance in the Baby Bulls most recent match. Nelich was subbed into the game in the 68th minute and scored seven minutes later, helping the Baby Bulls en route to a 3-2 road victory against sixth-place Huntsville City FC.
Nehuen Benedetti, a Baby Bulls midfielder, assisted Nelich’s goal last week and he currently leads the team with 11 goals on the season.
For his efforts, Nelich was named the MLS NEXT Pro Rising Star of Matchweek 27 and the 17-year-old described what he sees his role as on a team that has clinched a playoff berth.
As we approach the last stretch of the season, I’m just trying to work hard every day and take my opportunities when I come off the bench. Try to help the team as much as possible coming into playoffs.
The Brooklyn native is seizing his opportunities to make an impact for Michael Bradley’s team and had some positive things to say about his manager and his team, which currently sits second place in MLS NEXT Pro’s overall standings.
Michael has helped me out a lot ever since I got introduced to second team, and I think he believes in my qualities, and he’s given me opportunities to show myself. So we have a good group, and I think coming into playoffs we are looking really strong.
There are eight players under the age of 18 on the Baby Bulls roster, currently. While an academy product like Adri Mehmeti has started nearly every game this season, Dennis Nelich and Ryan Scuro have become more important as rotation players in recent weeks.
Bradley touched on Nelich’s recent success and why he’s decided to give players on academy agreements more minutes in recent weeks with the playoffs clinched.
One of the things that we are doing every single day is trying to find the right ways to continue pushing our young academy guys along. We are trying to make sure that the pathway between the under 18s and the second team is as strong as ever…Dennis (Nelich) is a young player that we’ve been really working with over this last period, and he’s made really good strides in training. He’s a great kid. He comes every day, excited, hungry, ready to work. And when we felt like it was a good time for him in Huntsville. Both he and Ryan Scuro came on the field and really helped us. And then obviously one of Dennis’s real qualities is when he gets chances, his finishing in and around the goal is really good.
The Baby Bulls have been playing some of their best soccer of the season. Since July 27, the Red Bulls II have won five of six matches, including a 1-0 defeat of fourth-place Chicago Fire FC II on August 24.
One thing that makes the Baby Bulls a Red Bull team is that they stick to their style of soccer no matter who the opponent is or what the circumstances are.
We’re going to play our football no matter what, no matter who we play against, no matter the day, we’re going to step on the field and try to do all of the things that we think make us a good team and the things that we think make us different. Having said that, we have always big respect for our opponent, and we always do a thorough job in terms of understanding in every match, who the key players are on the other team and who the ones are that we need to really go out of our way to make sure they have a hard game. So that part is always there. But again, we’re going to step on the field and try to play our football no matter what.
The Baby Bulls will have to play their soccer tomorrow night most likely without outstanding academy product Tanner Rosborough. Rosborough has not played since July 11 when he scored a stoppage time equalizer against Toronto FC II and, according to Bradley, is still a gametime decision.
The Baby Bulls have dominated opponents at their home field this season and have won four straight home matches.
Nelich described what he’s looking forward to about playing in front of the fans at MSU Soccer Park on Sunday, with a chance to put themselves six points clear of the next team atop the MLS NEXT Pro Eastern Conference standings.
A home game is always a good one. I thought we haven’t done bad away from home, but a home game with all the supporters coming behind us and come watch the games. I think that helps us out a lot. But I think we’ve been doing good. We have a strong home record, and we’re looking to get a win this weekend.
Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. with coverage available on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
