New York Red Bulls II Forward Roald Mitchell Named MLS NEXT Pro Player of Matchweek 5
Tuesday, Apr 16, 2024, 03:13 PM
HARRISON, N.J. (April 16, 2024) – New York Red Bulls II forward Roald Mitchell has been named MLS NEXT Pro Player of the Matchweek for his four-goal performance against Chicago Fire FC II on Sunday at MSU Soccer Park, the league announced today.
Mitchell has received the award following his record-breaking performance in the first half of Sunday’s match. The Montclair, New Jersey, born forward recorded four goals to tie both a club and league record for the most in a single match. The first three goals for the 21-year-old came within the first eighteen minutes of the match, which marked the fastest recorded hat-trick in both club and league history as well.
The forward increased his season total to eight, which put him into the league lead just five matches in to the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro season. Mitchell’s eight goals are a club record through the first five matches of a league season over ten years.
This was the second multi-goal match that Mitchell has recorded this season, with his first coming on March 28 on the road against FC Cincinnati 2. The forward now has recorded ten goals in his career with New York Red Bulls II dating back to his first season in 2021.
Mitchell was subbed of with an injury in the second half of Sunday’s match and is currently being evaluated.
LAFC staged a dramatic comeback to earn a hard-fought, 2-2 draw against the New York Red Bulls at BMO Stadium on Saturday night. Denis Bouanga’s second half double gained the Black & Gold a point after a first-half own goal and Emil Forsberg’s 81st-minute strike twice put LAFC behind the eight ball.
LAFC is now 3-3-3 on the season for 12 points and sits in 9th place in the Western Conference.
Calamity struck early for the Black & Gold, who lost centerback Aaron Long not 10 minutes into the match. Long, who had gone the full 90 in all of LAFC’s matches to start the season, crashed into the goalpost after making a terrific recovery and block to deny MLS assist leader Dante Vanzeir’s close-range shot.
Eddie Segura replaced Long in the 8th minute and was terribly unlucky to misdirect his attempted clearance of a Red Bulls corner into the LAFC net on the restart after Long’s withdrawal.
Although it was a long road back to even, the Black & Gold navigated it well, working down the Red Bulls defense until midway through the second half. Bouanga drew a penalty kick after getting past NYRB defender Sean Nealis in the 63rd minute. The Frenchman then rifled his spot kick into the right side of the net to draw the game level at 1-1 in the 67th minute.
From there, LAFC turned the screw on the visitors as they chased a winning goal, but Forsberg stabbed home a loose ball from a corner kick in the 81st minute to make it 2-1 and give the home side yet another mountain to climb.
But respond they would in the fifth minute of stoppage time. Bouanga sent a blast through heavy traffic in the Red Bulls’ penalty area that found its way into the right side of the goal to make it 2-2 and reward his and his teammate’s’ efforts with a hard-won result.
LAFC returns to action on Saturday, April 27, when the Portland Timbers make a quick return trip to BMO Stadium after the two squads recently tied 2-2 on April 13, in the Rose City. That game, which kicks off at 7:30 p.m. PT, can be seen live on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV and on 710 AM ESPN LA, 980 AM La Mera Mera (Esp) and SiriusXM FC.
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