Last, but certainly not least, on our review of Atlantic Division opponents are the club the Battery will open their season against: New York Red Bulls II. New York are another MLS reserve club on the Black and Yellow’s docket, and it will be the first time the two sides have met since 2019.
The 2020 season was unfamiliar territory for the New Jersey club, as they failed to make the USL Championship Playoffs for the first time ever. The team posted a 5-11-0 record that landed them in third place in Group F, behind Hartford Athletic and Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. Despite the losing record, five of New York’s losses came by only one goal and were by no means an easy fixture on opponents’ schedules. The offense showed flashes of power, notably Omar Sowe, who led the club with seven goals in 14 matches. The club also notched at least five goals in three of their matches last season.
Head-to-head, New York have had Charleston’s number. Red Bulls II lead the series 5-1-6 since 2015. The lone Battery victory in the series came in July 2016, when a brace from Romario Williams lifted Charleston in a 2-3 victory in New Jersey. Although the overall record favors Red Bulls II, three of the last four meetings have ended in draws. The last meeting, on September 27, 2019, featured a dramatic equalizer from an AJ Paterson header in the dying seconds of the match to secure a point on the road. The goal was the first of Paterson’s professional club career. With a recent history of competitive matches between the two sides, expect the meetings this year to follow suit.
For New York, the key will be weaving together a lineup despite plenty of roster turnover, with just three players returning from the previous season. That includes the squad’s top two scorers from 2020, forward Omar Sowe (7 goals) and Jake LaCava (5 goals). Expect Sowe to be an impact player once again for New York, as his experience with both the club and Head Coach John Wolyniec will be important to their play. Incoming forward Jeremy Rafanello, signed from Indy Eleven, will look to solidify the side’s attack. Another notable signing was Red Bulls Academy product and defender Curtis Ofori, who becomes the youngest player in Red Bulls II history at 15 years old. His impressive play in the offseason earned him his first pro contract. With many new pieces this season, getting the lineup to gel early is paramount to the club getting back to their usual form.
For the Battery, the opposite is the case with the core roster returning this season. The Black and Yellow will field a squad decently familiar with New York despite not meeting in 2020. Goalkeeper Joe Kuzminsky, defenders Jarad van Schaik, Leland Archer and AJ Paterson, midfielder Angelo Kelly, and forwards Zeiko Lewis and Nicque Daley all saw action against New York in 2019. Their experience will be called on to keep the squad unwavering in whatever Wolyniec’s lineup throws at them.
The two sides will face off early and often, with three matches set in the first seven matchweeks. History does not define the present, so expect Charleston to aim to keep their momentum from last season going and level the series record.
Red Bulls II and the Battery will meet four times this season, twice in Montclair, New Jersey and twice in Charleston, South Carolina. The Battery will host the opposition at Patriots Point on Sunday, May 23, and again on Saturday, June 12. Tickets for the May fixture can be purchased here, and for the June fixture here.
