New York City FC II faced a 4-2 defeat against Red Bulls II in the Hudson River Derby on Sunday evening. The match, held in New Jersey, saw an action-packed first half with five goals scored. Uriel Zeitz and Eligio Guarino initially put NYCFC II ahead 2-1, but two quick goals from Red Bulls II shifted the lead before halftime. Mijahir Jiménez’s stoppage-time goal sealed the victory for the hosts.
The match began with both teams pressing intensely. Red Bulls II took the lead in the 14th minute through Jiménez. NYCFC II responded when Uriel Zeitz scored from a cross by Julien Lacher. Eligio Guarino then gave NYCFC II a brief lead before Neuhén Benedetti equalized for Red Bulls II. Jiménez added another goal to give his team a halftime advantage.
In the second half, chances were limited until Marcelo Morales’ long-range effort went wide in the 55th minute. Coach Matt Pilkington substituted Luka Sunjic for Zeitz shortly after. Despite efforts to equalize, including attempts by Jonathan Guarino and Jonny Lopez, NYCFC II could not find the net again.
As time ran out, Pilkington made another substitution, bringing on David Duque for Peter Molinari. However, Jiménez completed his hat-trick during stoppage time to secure a win for Red Bulls II.
NYCFC II will next face Philadelphia Union II on Saturday, July 26.
