Two months ago, Red Bull New York opened their campaign with a sensational 2-1 victory over Orlando City SC. At that moment, New York was the talk of Major League Soccer (MLS).
Fans were amazed by the work of the youngsters, the attack flowing nicely, and the club’s ability to earn a victory in a hostile environment. What gets lost a little bit was how the backline was able to handle what was supposed to be a good Orlando attack. Despite allowing one goal late in that match, it seemed like the doubts fans had about the defense disappeared.
The following Saturday, New York shut out the New England Revolution for a 1-0 win. Currently, New England sits third in the Eastern Conference standings, so by all means, it was a fantastic result for New York.
So, what happened? Well, the slight optimism fans had for the defense is beyond gone. Their complaints from the preseason are even louder than before.
Near the bottom of the league in goals allowed with 23, the Red Bulls have struggled mightily defending their goal.
Just take a look at some of their results over the past few weeks:
March 8 – 3-0 loss to CF Montréal
March 21 – 6-1 loss to Charlotte FC
April 18 – 4-1 loss to CF Montréal
April 22 – 4-4 draw to D.C. United
Fans and analysts have suggested that the system head coach, Michael Bradley, has implemented a factor in this. Fans do have to consider some other factors that have led to one of the worst defensive starts in the club’s history.
Depth issues have been a cause for concern for the club on the backline. To their credit, they have made moves to reinforce the defense with the addition of Julián Bazán and Joyeux Masanka Bungi. Bazán has yet to play, and Bungi made his first appearance with the club on Wednesday against D.C.
Injuries have played a role as well in stopping the chemistry of the line from developing. Dylan Nealis missed a few matches in the early portion of the campaign, and honestly, played well against Orlando and New England.
Justin Che, however, has arguably been the squad’s best defender so far. Unfortunately, a nagging hamstring injury has forced him to miss several matches in a row, and that has affected the Red Bulls badly.
In some cases, Bradley has tried inserting midfielder Gustav Berggren at center-back. This has led to some questions from fans, such as why a primary center-back like Tim Parker has been underutilized in 2026? Yes, he is an older defender, but he still has the capability of making an impact.
As a consequence of this porous defensive start to 2026, goalkeeper Ethan Horvath has faced a tall task in protecting the net. Have there been some unfortunate moments for him? Sure, but not all the blame can be solely placed on him.
The one word everyone has really hammered down through the first nine MLS matches of 2026 for the Red Bulls has been “inconsistent.” One week, the club earns a great draw against a talented Inter Miami CF squad. Other weeks, they allow four goals, or even six goals.
Growing pains are expected. Observers of the league understood that this club was hard to predict, given the multitude of changes made by them in the past few months.
What is likely in New York’s favor currently is that the Eastern Conference is the weaker of the two conferences. With the usual contenders in FC Cincinnati and the Philadelphia Union struggling, the Red Bulls find themselves in eighth in the East entering Saturday.
In order to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2024, the defense needs to be on point. Fans have loved what Julian Zakrzewski Hall has done on the attack. Imagine how elated fans will be when the backline plays smart and figures out their issues.
I am not expecting a top-three finish in the conference, but rather complementary play that benefits the squad as a whole. When everyone is on the same page, that is when the club plays its best soccer.
The next three opponents for the Red Bulls will surely challenge the defense to make big stops. Cincinnati and FC Dallas are both top-10 scoring clubs in MLS this season. While their date with New York City FC is in the U.S. Open Cup next Wednesday, “the Pigeons” are fourth in MLS in goals with 19.
Truly, if the Red Bulls can get the job done defensively against all three, this moment of the season should be celebrated.
