Red Bull New York II (RBNY II) took a step toward defending their MLS NEXT Pro Cup championship when they paid back FC Cincinnati 2 in a penalty shootout at Montclair State University’s MSU Soccer Park Sunday.
On July 5, Cincinnati edged RBNY II in a penalty shootout and the latter got even on Sunday.
Red Bulls Academy product Christian Gallagher’s goal in the 81st minute of the match tied the game and Red Bull New York first team defender Omar Valencia’s decisive penalty in the fifth round of the shootout clinched an MLS NEXT Pro playoff berth for Red Bulls II for the second consecutive season.
Even though they got a goal, I felt like we were dominating the game the whole time. We gave up one chance, they countered on it and scored, which was unfortunate. But overall, I think we knew one was going to come. We just kept doing what we do, keeping possession of the ball and dominating the game, and something was bound to come out of it. –Christian Gallagher
New York City native Jack Mize opened the scoring for FC Cincinnati 2 in the 38th minute. Leonardo Orejarena crossed into the box and Joshua Munson was able to keep Mathias Vasquez from getting to the ball. However, Munson got tangled up with Vasquez and the ball found its way to Mize, who trapped it and scored into the bottom left corner past goalkeeper and Morristown native Tobias Szewczyk.
At halftime, the team stats gave the Baby Bulls a slight edge; RBNY II had two shots on goal and Cincinnati had one while RBNY II also led in passing accuracy 90-83% but RBNY II head coach Dominik Wohlert knew there was something missing from his side’s play.
What was definitely missing was the final action — getting the ball into the box and creating high-value chances. I think that’s what we were able to change in the second half. The amount of times we were able to enter the final third, enter the box and create moments — there were situations where we were just missing the last pass or one player putting it over the line. But those were high-value chances, and we were missing those chances in the first half. – Dominik Wohlert
Six minutes into the second half, Sean Baitinger nearly equalized when he dribbled down the right wing and scalded a shot that zipped behind Cincinnati goalkeeper Connor Dale, through the six-yard box and out of play.
Cincinnati almost doubled their lead when Nathan Grey broke free of a tackle and fired a shot that was saved by Szewczyk. The rebound fell for a Cincinnati player who tapped it in, but the play was called offsides.
In the 77th minute, Gallagher dribbled past his marker down the left sideline before making a centering pass to Baitinger, but Baitinger chipped it over the crossbar.
Four minutes after their best scoring chance of the game went awry, RBNY II equalized.
Substitute defender Aimar Modelo made a nifty short pass to Baitinger near the right sideline. Baitinger then crossed to the near post where Gallagher was able to first time the ball with his right foot into the bottom left corner.
In second half stoppage time, FC Cincinnati came just inches away from taking the lead. Vasquez received a pass in the center of the 18-yard box and fired a shot toward the right part of the net but RBNY II defender Connor Faello jumped and blocked it with his head. Munson was also shown a second yellow card in stoppage time, reducing RBNY II to 10 men, but only three minutes were played after that and the Baby Bulls were able to see the game off to their fifth penalty shootout of the season.
Baby Bulls captain Nate Worth took the first penalty and deposited it into the bottom right corner. Szewczyk then saved Vasquez’s penalty, giving Red Bulls II an early advantage.
Baitinger scored and Orejarena followed suit. RBNY II midfielder Deven Cadigan scored the third penalty and Ademar Chavez scored for Cincinnati.
Both teams held serve until Valencia was able to score the fifth penalty kick and end the shootout 5-3. With their second shootout victory of the season, RBNY II clinched a spot in the MLS NEXT Pro playoffs in the Eastern Conference bracket.
The Baby Bulls were vulnerable in their defensive third at times in this match but they never lost belief.
I think it’s definitely within us as a team. Something that we’ve shown is that no matter what, if we get punched in the mouth, we can always come back. You saw it against Connecticut and you saw it here. We’re capable, no matter what happens, of coming back into the game. So we don’t worry too much when something happens against us because we know we’re capable of anything. – Christian Gallagher
The Baby Bulls will play their final match of the 2026 regular season next weekend on MLS NEXT Pro’s Decision Day vs Huntsville City FC.
