NYCFC Stunned By St. Louis Late

 

NYCFC celebrates Hannes Wolf's goal. Photo by Jason Schott.

New York City Football Club was thisclose to a solid win on Saturday night at Citi Field, but St. Louis City SC scored a goal in extra time to force the 1-1 draw.

Who NYCFC Will Play In Its First Match Of US Open Cup

 

New York City Football Club will Westchester SC in the Round of 32 of the 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, a competition across all leagues in the country.

Books: New Novels For Spring

We are finally at the time of year you can go outside and read a book, and in this review, we will look at three new novels that will transport you to another place and are perfect to spend an afternoon with: To Cage a Wild Bird, by Brooke Fast; You Should Have Been Nicer To My Mom, by Vincent Tirado; and Like in Love with You, by Emma R. Alban. 

Books: "Kutchinsky's Egg" By Serena Kutchinsky

 

Kutchinsky's Egg: A Family's Story of Obsession, Love and Loss

By Serena Kutchinsky

Scribner; hardcover, 320 pages; $30.00; available today, March 31st

Serena Kutchinsky is an award-winning journalist who has held senior editorial roles at Sky News, BBC News, The Sunday Times in London, Prospect, and Newsweek. She is currently the head of news at The iPaper, and spends the summer hosting talks at festivals and traveling around the countryside in a camper van. She runs an Instagram account dedicated to the legacy of the House of Kutchinsky.

Peterson Second In Command In Mets Rotation

David Peterson fires one in to Nick Gonzales in the second inning on Saturday afternoon. Photo by Jason Schott.

 

The Mets this year have a new ace in Freddy Peralta, and they have quite the familiar face as the No. 2 starter in their rotation.

Sweet 16: Duke "Bully Drives" Way Past St. John's

 

Cayden and Cameron Boozer. @DukeMBB.

The St. John's Red Storm's run in the NCAA Tournament ended in the Sweet 16 on Friday night in Washington, DC, as the Duke Blue Devils outlasted them late in a 80-75 win.

Mets Workout Ahead Of Opening Day

 

Citi Field is ready for Opening Day. Photos by Jason Schott.

Mets Manager Carlos Mendoza (left) looks on during Workout Day.

"We have a really good opportunity to do something special here, and our goal is, not only playing in October, but deep into October, and winning the World Series is the goal."

Yankees Opening Day Roster & Final Transactions Before First Pitch

Yankee Stadium's famous facade. Photo by Jason Schott.

The Yankees released their roster on Wednesday morning ahead of Opening Night against the San Francisco Giants in the Bay Area, with the first pitch at 8:05 p.m. eastern time.

Mets To Wear Patch Honoring Davey Johnson This Season

 

Citi Field. Photo by Jason Schott.

The Mets announced on Tuesday that they will wear a memorial patch in honor of Davey Johnson, the Manager of the 1986 World Championship team, who passed away on September 5, 2025, at the age of 82.

St. John's Is Off To Sweet 16 After Walking Off Kansas

 

Dylan Darling (left) being swarmed by his teammates after his winning shot. @StJohnsBball.

The St. John's Red Storm are off to the Sweet 16 after Dylan Darling scored a buzzer-beating layup to help them beat Kansas, 67-65, in their Round-of-32 matchup in the East Regional of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday afternoon.

Messi, Miami Narrowly Edge NYCFC At Stadium

 

Lionel Messi took this corner kick in the 32nd minute. Photo by Jason Schott.

New York City Football Club was up to the challenge against defending MLS Cup Champion Inter Miami CF, but they fell just short, 3-2, on Sunday afternoon in front of a crowd of 45,845 at Yankee Stadium.

St. John's Starts NCAA Tournament With A Surge

 

Dylan Darling got this layup early on Friday night. @StJohnsBball.

The St. John's Red Storm opened the NCAA Tournmament with a dominant 79-53 win over Northern Iowa in their East Regional matchup in San Diego on Friday night.

What's New This Season At Citi Field

 

Big Apple Blend Seasoned Burger and Fries, with Citi Field behind it. All Photos by Jason Schott.

Mr. Met Chocolate Whoopie Pies at Citi Field Sweets.

The Mets home opener is next Thursday afternoon at Citi Field, when the Amazin's take on Pittsburgh Pirates, and recently, they unveiled what their fans can dine on at their New In 26 event on Wednesday.

MLS To Hold Sprint Season In 2027

 

The MLS announced that it will be holding a 2027 Sprint Season that will be the bridge into the league's new summer-to-spring calendar.

Mets Unveil New Transit Options For Fans

 

Citi Field. Photo by Jason Schott.

The Mets announced that there will be new transportation options to Citi Field for this upcoming season, as the area around the ballpark is developed into a new sports and entertainment district.

St. John's Off To San Diego For NCAA Tournament

 

The scene at the buzzer when St. John's beat UConn in the Big East Tournament Championship Game Saturday night. Photo by Jason Schott.

The St. John's Red Storm, the Big East Regular Season and Tournament Champions - are off to San Diego as the fifth seed in the East Regional of the NCAA Tournament.

St. John's Moves Up In USA Today Coaches' Poll

 

Dylan Darling made this running jumper to give St. John's a 10-0 lead early Saturday night. Photo by Jason Schott.

The St. John's Red Storm won the Big East Regular Season and Tournament Champions, and that has resulted in a jump up to No. 9 in the USA Today Coaches' Poll.

St. John’s Repeats As Big East Tournament Champions

Zuby Ejiofor exults after cutting down the nets. Photo by Jason Schott.

The scene at the final whistle. Photo by Jason Schott.

The St. John’s Red Storm won their second straight Big East Tournament Championship on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden, as they beat the UConn Huskies, 72-52.

This is the Red Storm’s fifth Big East Tournament crown, and the first time they have gone back-to-back.

This one started out just like the Red Storm’s first two games in this tournament, as they raced out to a 10-0 lead and held UConn scoreless for the first four minutes and five seconds.

Dylan Darling nailed this jumper to make it 10-0 St. John’s early. Photo by Jason Schott.

St. John’s kept up the heat, eventually doubling up UConn, 32-16, at the 8:20 mark of the first half.

Connecticut responded with a Jayden Ross three-pointer to make it 32-19, and those would be their last points for four minutes and 28 seconds, until an Alex Karajan layup made it 36-21 St. John’s.

UConn couldn’t make a dent in the lead, and went into halftime down 40-27.

St. John’s shot at 50 percent, or 15-30, from the field, while holding UConn to just 36%, or 9-25, overall and 2-8 from behind the arc. (SJU shot the same on threes)

UConn committed an uncharacteristic 11 turnovers, and their Head Coach, Dan Hurley, took a technical foul at the 12:34 mark.

In the second half, after a blistering start by St. John’s, UConn went on a 9-0 run to finally get it under 10, as a Terris Reed Jr. layup made it 47-39 St. John’s.

Connecticut pulled within seven, at 49-42, before St. John’s burst out of a timeout with a 7-1 run to go up 13 again, at 56-43, on a Zuby Ejiofor hook shot at 10:36.

UConn pulled back to within 10, at 59-49, on a Malachi Smith layup, off a Jayden Ross steal, at the 8:03 mark. 

Soon after, UConn had a possession where they did everything but score, as they had four shot attempts, along with three offensive rebounds, and they still were down 10 when it was over at the 6:49 mark.

That turned out to be a game-defining possession, as that deflated UConn because it symbolized how tough they had it all night.

Dylan Darling then reeled off six straight points, and just like that, it was 65-49 St. John’s with 5:01 left.

A Bryce Hopkins layup made it a 20-point lead for St. John’s, 69-49, with 3:26 left, and it started to feel like they had it. (Pictured below)

Dylan Darling raises his arm signalling victory was at hand after the Hopkins layup. Photo by Jason Schott.

St. John's would close the game on a 13-0 run, as they took a 72-49 lead, and a Malachi Smith free throw at 1:15 broke it. That gave UConn their first point since the 8:03 mark, an extended drought of six minutes and 48 seconds.

The confetti was flying during the trophy presentation. Photo by Jason Schott.

St. John's was led by Zuby Ejiofor, who had 18 points on 7-11 shooting, including 2-3 from behind the arc, with nine rebounds, just missing a double-double, seven blocks, three steals, and two assists.

Bryce Hopkins also had 18 points on a superb 7-9 from the field, including 2-2 on threes, with five rebounds, two assists, and a steal. Oziyah Sellers had 14 points (4-8 FG, 1-2 threes), one rebound, and one steal.

Connecticut was led by Terris Reed Jr., who had 17 points on 8-17 shooting, with seven rebounds. He was the only Huskie to score in double-figures, as Alex Karaban was held to seven points on 3-8 shooting, including 1-5 on threes, with five rebounds and five assists. Braylon Mullins had five points (2-9 FG, 1-5 threes), six rebounds, one assist, and one steal. 

St. John's shot 48.2 percent, or 27-56, for the game, while holding Connecticut to just 33.9 percent, or 19 baskets on the same 56 shot attempts.

PITINO POSTGAME: St. John's Head Coach Rick Pitino addressed the media after the game, and he spoke of where he has taken this program in three years: "You know, last night I had a big treat because every time I step on the floor at Madison Square Garden I think of something that has happened in my lifetime, and last night, I drafted a local product from St. John's Bishop Loughlin, Mark Jackson, and he was here at the game tonight. He was my Rookie of the Year, second year made the All Star team. So it was such a thrill for me because it brought back so many incredible memories of him flying a plane every time we scored into the press. And to have Mark here means a lot to me because it's the past. 

"And now we fast forward to the present and there's so much history with St. John's and we brought it all back in three years, not only with a high ranking, but the first time in the history of the school to win back-to-back regular season and back-to-back tournaments. But I told the guys in the locker room, I said, 'The one thing I always want - obviously you want - every coach wants to see the team get better and to peak at the right time. But I want to see the individuals get better. And these four guys (Sellers, Hopkins, Ejiofor, Mitchell) all got a lot better as the season went along. (quote continues after picture)

Rick Pitino leads Zuby Ejiofor up the ladder to cut down the nets. (Yes that was Rick's hand in the earlier pic) Photo by Jason Schott.

"Zuby has taken it from a guy that came in without a lot of confidence to now one of the great leaders in the game that I've ever coached. Bryce Hopkins has got significantly better, and I told Dillon and Bryce going into this, if you guys don't dominate, we can't win this game. And they both played unbelievable.

"Oziyah's been consistent from the summer to now, gotten a lot better defensively, but they have all gotten significantly better at latter stages of their careers, which is great for our coaching staff. And for me personally, being a New Yorker and seeing the thrills of our fans and seeing the thrills of the team means a great deal to me to be a small part of this whole thing.

"So I'm really, really proud. I know Louie is looking down on us with great pride. Joe Lapchick's looking down on us with great pride, and I'm really, really impressed by all of them.

"With 12:30 to go in the game, I had to take a timeout - I had to waste a timeout, which infuriated me with these guys, and I said to them, 'You are fatiguing. Don't let this clock run out. You've got to keep the pressure on them offensively. Johnnies don't get tired. Johnnies don't get tired. I took Zuby out right before that, and he said to me, 'Coach at eight minutes, I'll kill. Bring me back in.' And he did.

"They all played a lot of minutes in this tournament and didn't fatigue, and at that point they just turned it around and dominated the game once again against a very good Connecticut team, very good. We held (Braylon) Mullins without a three-point shot at halftime. These guys played great. I don't know what was better, the defense, the offense, or the attitude. So, I'm real proud of all four of you guys. You're tremendous young men as well as being great basketball players, and you've all gotten significantly better, which is what every coach wants."

On Dylan Darling scoring six straight points to key the game-clinching 13-0 run: "Yeah, he didn't have it his way at all during the game. It just shows you about - I said to him, 'Take it easy, Stef. Take it easy, Stef.' Because he's trying to just go one-on-one. I said, 'Zuby, will you do something with this guy? Set a pick, get him out of going one-on-one. But it shows you it wasn't going his way. He just tried to take over the game offensively and defensively with a great back tip. But listen, these two bookend forwards, they are tremendous. Don't underrate them. This guy takes a lot of publicity away from them because of his greatness.

"But those pipkins there, the three of them, they make up a great, great front court. Dillon Mitchell, I was getting all over him. I said, 'You handle the ball. You handle the ball. You are the point guard.' And he was brilliant. Hop kept getting better and better. What a great tournament. I'm proud of you guys."

NYCFC Rolls By Rapids At Stadium

 

Nicolas Fernandez Mercau (center) and Agustin Ojeda embrace after one of his goals. Provided by NYCFC.

New York City Football Club won their second straight game at Yankee Stadium, as they cruised by the Colorado Rapids, 3-1, on Saturday night.

Big East Day 3: St. John’s Survives Seton Hall Push Late To Make Final

Dillon Mitchell slams one home to put St. John's up 14-11 early on. Photo by Jason Schott.

In the Big East Tournament Semifinals on Friday night at Madison Square Garden, the St. John’s Red Storm beat the Seton Hall Pirates, 78-68.

Big East Day 2: St. John’s Finishes Off Friars

Bryce Hopkins slams one home to put St. John’s up 20-5 early. Photo by Jason Schott.

The St. John’s Red Storm passed their first test at the Big East Tournament, as they beat Providence, 85-72, in dominant fashion in their Quarterfinal matchup on Thursday afternoon at Madison Square Garden.

That was exhibited on the defensive end at first, as they kept Providence off the board for the first four minutes and 47 seconds.

The thing is, though, St. John’s only had nine points at that point, but it wasn’t long before a Bryce Hopkins slam off a fast break made it 20-5 Red Storm at the 13:05 mark. (Pictured above)

This was an emphatic statement by Hopkins against his former team, after he was viciously attacked on a similar play by Duncan Powell in their last meeting on February 14, and occurred right in front of the Providence bench.

St. John’s kept it going, as they built up a 23-point lead, 46-24, on an RJ Luis hook shot at 2:37, and they would take a 48-27 edge into halftime. 

Providence, as expected, made a run in the second half, as they pile to within 11 points, 59-48, on a Ryan Mela layup at the 12:15 mark.

St. John’s responded with a 6-2 spurt that turned into an elongated 17-5 clip capped by a Dillon Mitchell alleyoop at 8:07 that put them up 75-53, a 22-point edge.

Zuby Ejiofor led the way, as he had a double-double with 21 points, on 9-14 from the field, with 10 rebounds, along with five assists and three blocks.

Zuby Ejiofor is able to rise above that Providence defender for this jumper that made it 23-11 midway through the first half. Photo by Jason Schott.

A trio of St. John’s players - Bryce Hopkins, Oziyah Sellers, and Ian Jackson - had 14 points apiece. Hopkins had a double-double, as he also hauled in 13 rebounds, while Jackson’s 14 came in 19:11 off the bench.

Just as was the case for Providence against Butler on Wednesday evening, three players were responsible for the lion’s share of their scoring, as Stefan Vaaks (23 points), Jaylin Sellers (21), and Ryan Mela (16) combined for 60 of the Friars’ 72 points.

PITINO POSTGAME: St. John's Head Coach Rick Pitino addressed the media after the game, and he opened with this statement: 

“Well, we played awesome defense tonight, especially the first half was as good as we played all year. When you go in at halftime with that lead and the assists total are 10-2, the three-point shots, which doesn’t normally happen, we go 0-5 against just an awesome shooting team, and we got 15 points, they got zero. And rebounding-wise, we were 26-13. Fast breaks we were 10-12. 

“So first half was brilliant on offense, brilliant on defense. Second half, it’s tough to play with a lead against a good shooting team, but they made some threes that were amazing. It’s very difficult for our players here because the rules have changed so much. Right now, on every basket the offensive player just buries himself into the defensive player and it’s always a foul. Where before it was 50/50, now it’s 90/10…

“Outside of that, we played a great game. Bryce was tremendous. When you watch Oziyah play, he really doesn’t make many mistakes. He knows how to cut, knows how to play. So he’s a terrific basketball player having - if you look out there and you say what did Oziyah do? He did everything right, nothing wrong. His defense is getting much better than the beginning of the year and I’m proud of both of these guys. They had a really good game.”

Mets To Induct Bobby V & Maz In Team HOF; '86 Celebration Set

 

Bobby Valentine at Citi Field last September. Photo by Jason Schott.

The Mets announced on Thursday a pair of very special events happening this summer.

Big East Day 1: Providence Pulls Off Comeback To Set Up Meeting With St. John's

 

Jaylin Sellers launched this three-pointer near the tournament logo to put Providence up, 68-58, with 9:33 remaining. Photo by Jason Schott.

The matchup everyone was anticipating would happen in the early part of the Big East Tournamentt will tip off at noon on Thursday at Madison Square Garden, as top-seeded St. John's will face ninth-seeded Providence.

Yankees Receive Selig Award for Philanthropic Excellence

 

Yankee Stadium. Photo by Jason Schott.

The Yankees have been honored by Major League Baseball with the Allan H. Selig Award for Philanthropic Excellence in recognition of the impact of their annual HOPE Week.

St. John’s Ejiofor A Unanimous Selection For Big East Player Of The Year

 

Zuby Ejiofor goes full extension for this layup against Seton Hall on January 20th. Photo by Jason Schott.

St. John’s star Zuby Ejiofor was a unanimous selection for Big East Player of the Year, the conference announced on Wednesday at the start of its tournament.

Ejiofor also was honored as the Big East Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Earlier in the week, he was named Big East Defensive Player of the Year.

In the 45-year history of the Big East, Zuby is the second player to win all three major awards since Emeka Okafor, of the UConn Huskies, in 2004.

Ejiofor is the first unanimous selection for Big East Player of the Year since Doug McDermott, of Creighton, in 2013-14, that school’s first year in the Big East.

On what it took to win the award, Ejiofor said at the ceremony, “I mean, it took everything. It took battling through adversity, and it was never easy. It was never the easiest road to success. I just want to thank God because I feel like he put me in so many situations where I had to challenge myself and it was never easy. I was able to do anything possible that I put my mind to.”

Zuby is the fourth St. John’s player to be honored as Big East Player of the Year, along with RJ Luis Jr. last year, Walter Berry in 1986, and Chris Mullin three times, 1983, ‘84, and ‘85.

This is St. John’s second straight winner, and as you can guess from Mullin and Berry, they won a combined four straight.

Additionally, Zuby was named the Associated Press Big East Player of the Year on Tuesday.

Zuby Wins Big East Defensive Player of the Year Honors

 

Zuby Ejiofor closing in on a three-point shooter last Tuesday night against Georgetown. Photo by Jason Schott.

St. John's star Zuby Ejiofor was named the Big East Defensive Player of the Year, soon after he was also the lone unanimous selection for the All-Big East First Team and All-Big East Defensive Team.

St. John's Jumps In National Polls

 

Zuby Ejiofor powering his way to the hoop on Tuesday night against Georgetown. Photo by Jason Schott.

The St. John's Red Storm made a big jump in the national polls this week, as they came in at No. 13 in both the AP Top 25 and USA Today Coaches' Poll.

NYCFC Roll Over Orlando On Opening Day

 

NYCFC celebrating after they made it 2-0 in the 42nd minute. Photo by Jason Schott.

New York City Football Club rolled to a 5-0 win over Orlando City on Saturday afternoon in front of a crowd of 25,055 at Yankee Stadium.

St. John's Clinches Second Straight Big East Crown

 

@StJohnsBball.

St. John's went into Newark on Friday night and beat Seton Hall, 72-65, to clinch their second straight Big East Regular Season Championship.

Yankees Release 2026 Promotional Schedule

 

Aaron Judge admiring one of his many home runs. Photo by Jason Schott. 

On Friday, the Yankees released one of the most anticipated things for the upcoming season, the 2026 Promotional Schedule.

NYCFC Announces Leagues Cup 2026 Schedule

 

New York City Football Club announced who they will be matched up with in the group stage of the Leagues Cup this summer.

St. John's Storms Back, Grinds Out W Against Georgetown

 

Zuby Ejiofor powered to the hoop to pull St. John's within eight with 14:45 left. Photo by Jason Schott.

The St. John's Red Storm grinded out a 72-69 win over Georgetown on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.

St. John's Slips A Little In National Polls

 

The scene at Madison Square Garden Saturday night when St. John's beat Villanova. Photo by Jason Schott.

The St. John's Red Storm slipped three spots to No. 18 in the AP Top 25, and just two to No. 17 in the USA Today Coaches' Poll on Monday afternoon.

NYCFC Finishes Off Philly For First Win Of Season

 

Tayvon Gray (2nd from right) celebrates his late goal in front of his teammates. Provided by NYCFC.

New York City Football Club earned their first win of the season in stunning fashion, as Tayvon Gray gave them a last-minute goal to give them the 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Union on Sunday evening.

St. John's Bounces Back In Big Way As They Vanquish Villanova

 

Ruben Prey rocking the rim after a dunk that put St. John's up 30-14 at the 8:51 mark of the first half. Photo by Jason Schott.

The St. John's Red Storm dominated from start to finish as they rolled by the Villanova Wildcats, 89-57, on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden.

Red Bulls Roll Past Revolution

 

Julian Hall battling for possession of the ball. Provided by Red Bull New York.

At Sports Illustrated Stadium, the song that plays after Red Bull New York goals is, naturally, "Bulls On Parade" by Rage Against The Machine." 

ALERT: Red Bulls Home Opener PATH Train Issues

 

A Red Bulls game at Sports Illustrated Stadium last summer. Photo by Jason Schott.

The Red Bull New York home opener is this afternoon at 2:30 p.m. at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, NJ.

UConn Gets Revenge On St. John's

 

Braylon Mullins celebrates draining a three-pointer. @UConnMBB.

The Connecticut Huskies were stunned at Madison Square Garden on February 6 when the St. John's Red Storm ended their 18-game winning streak.

St. John's Moves Up In National Polls, But Not Nearly Enough

 

St. John's Head Coach Rick Pitino watched Bryce Hopkins bury a jumper at the other end. Photo by Jason Schott.

The St. John's Red Storm moved up slightly in the national polls, by two spots to No. 15 in the AP poll, and only one to No. 16 in the USA Today Coaches Poll.

NYCFC Notches Tie In LA

 

Tayvon Gray (24) and Nicolas Fernandez Mercau celebrate. Photo courtesy NYCFC.

New York City Football Club opened the season with a spirited 1-1 draw with the LA Galaxy on Sunday night in Carson City, California.

It didn't take long at all for LA to get the early lead. They had possession in the NYCFC zone, and Joseph Paintstil took it into the corner on the left before sending a pass along the touch line to Marco Reus, who flicked it back to Joao Klauss in the box, and amidst four NYCFC defenders fired one past goalkeeper Matt Freese to make it 1-0.

The goal actually came at the 1:25 mark, and it was quite the debut for the Brazilian, as Klauss came over to LA in the off-season from St. Louis City FC.

It stayed that way until well into the second half when NYCFC was pouncing.

In the 61st minute, Tayvon Gray sent a pass to Nicolas Fernandez Mercau as he came into the LA box, and before he could control the ball, he was taken down by LA Galaxy defender Emiro Garces.

A VAR review was called for, and it was determined that Garces did take Mercau down with his arms, with no attempt on the ball, and he was awarded a yellow card.

Because he also took a yellow card in the 36th minute, Garces earned the equivalent of a red and was sent off, leaving LA with 10 men the remaining of the match.

Mercau was awarded a penalty kick and he buried it to tie the match at 1 in the 66th minute.

This was Mercau's first-even Season Opener goal, and his fourth overall with NYCFC.

NYCFC nearly grabbed the lead practically immediately, in the 67th minute, as Kevin O'Toole broke through congestion near the center line, and raced towards the net, but fired his shot wide left.

Their other golden opportunity to grab the lead came in the 80th minute when Mercau, from just outside the top left of the box, fired one towards the center of the box, and Hannes Wolf headed it, but it went wide right.

NYCFC dominated on the possession on the night, not surprising with the extra man for around 40 minutes, at 61.5 percent. They fired in 10 shots, but only one was on goal, while LA Galaxy's were more high-percentage, as seven of their eight shots were on goal.

This was the second time NYCFC played LA Galaxy in the MLS season opener, as they also did in 2022, which was a 1-0 LA win.

NYCFC defender Kai Trewin made his first-ever start for the club, and he record an 87.7 pass accuracy rate, 57 passes, and 88 minutes in the match.

Drew Baiera, a homegrown defender for NYCFC, made his MLS Regular Season debut, as he entered in the 80th minute of the match. 

Baiera was the 12th Homegrown signing in NYCFC history, and he has put in regular minutes in past season with their MLS NEXT Pro club, New York City FC II. Coincidentally, he is the 12th homegrown player to make his MLS debut for NYCFC.

Midfielder Maxi Moralez surpassed his own NYCFC club record, as he became the oldest player in Club history to start in an MLS regular season match, at 38 years and 360 days.

This game also marked the return of two stalwart NYCFC players who were lost to injury early last season. Midfielder Keaton Parks came on as a substitute in the second half to mark his first action since a 2-2 tie on May 31, 2025 against Nashville SC. Forward Talles Magno also subbed in late, and it was his first appearance since a Leagues Cup match against Liga MX's Club Queretaro on July 28, 2024. His last MLS regular season appearance was on July 7, 2024, a 1-2 draw against Orlando City.

COACH'S COMMENTS: NYCFC Head Coach Pascal Jansen spoke on these topics in his postgame press conference:

On the second half performance of the team, including Nico Fernandez Mercau, who scored the equalizer: "I think Nico is a good example of how we intended to play from the start. The intensity and the tempo of the game were much better in the second half than in the first half. I just said to the guys that in the first 10 to 15 minutes, the lights were on but nobody was home. That's why we conceded the goal the way we did, and that's very unusual for us. The first half was simply not good enough. The second half was much better, the tempo went up, and that's something Galaxy had a lot of trouble dealing with. One of the factors was getting the penalty from a good attack where Nico got brought down, which brought us back into the game. That's why Nico's role was really important. Even after scoring the penalty, we kept searching for the second goal, and unfortunately we didn't get it."

On NCYFC defender Drew Baiera's performance: "Drew has had a very strong and mature preseason. We created a new pathway for him with Mitja (Ilenic) going on loan and having Drew step in to compete with Tayvon (Gray). Tayvon was under the weather for two or three days this week, so we were hoping he would be able to start, but we had Drew ready coming off a strong preseason. When it was his moment, he showed he can compete. His attacking involvement was good, but especially playing against a good player like (Gabriel) Pec is something you have to deal with as a young player. With 10 against 11, the transitional moments become even more important, and he did a very good job in those phases as well. I'm very pleased with his performance."

On NYCFC defender Kai Trewin's performance: "Overall, I'm very happy with Kai. He showed the qualities and personality that we saw in the process of recruiting him. He can play in the back four, the back three, and in midfield like he did today. I think he benefited from having Aiden O'Neill close to him as well. The intensity of the game is something he really loves in MLS in his first experience. Overall, his performance was quite impressive for his first game."

Red Bulls Roll To First Win With Bradley At Helm

 

Julian Hall breaking through a pair of Orlando City defenders. @NewYorkRedBulls.

Red Bull New York started the Michael Bradley Era in style as they rolled to a 2-1 win at Orlando City SC in the MLS season opener on Saturday night.

St. John's Crushes Creighton With "The best defense we played all season," Per Pitino

 

Dylan Darling looking up at the hoop as the ball goes in on his layup that made it 57-36 St. John's with 12:21 remaining. Photo by Jason Schott.

The St. John's Red Storm cruised past Creighton, 81-52, on Saturday afternoon at Madison Square Garden.

Ruvalcaba On Joining Red Bulls: "It's a club that, if you're not always at the top, there's going to be pressure"

 

Jorge Ruvalcaba with Red Bull New York Head Coach Michael Bradley (right) and Head of Sport Julian de Guzman (left) on Wednesday. Photo by Jason Schott.

At Media Day on Wednesday, Red Bull New York took the opportunity to formally introduce Jorge Ruvalcaba, the club's third Designated Player for the 2026 season.