New York Red Bulls vs Charlotte FC match preview: Predicted Starting XI and player matchup
- Rylee Mckinney
- 11 minutes ago
- 4 min read
By Sean McGuffin (@SeanMCG704) and Rylee McKinney (@rylees_roster)
The second match for Charlotte this week takes them up the East Coast to face the New York Red Bulls.
After a 2-2 draw against Atlanta United on Wednesday night, Charlotte FC will have to perform tonight to avoid murmurs of "typical Charlotte" from fans. Matchday 16's results pushed The Crown back into 7th place, just over the playoff cut-off line. Sneaking up behind Charlotte is, in fact, the NYRB, despite their recent 3-1 loss to the Philadelphia Union. Both squads are fresh and rested from the international break, making tonight's matchup a key step in falling back into the groove of MLS play.
Last time Charlotte met the Bulls, they secured an exceptional 6-1 home win in late March. The New York Red Bulls managed only one goal that night from Julian Hall while coping with a red card for Gustav Berggren, leaving them at 10 men for the second half.
Matchup to Watch
The last matchup to watch between these two teams featured Pep Biel and Mehmeti, a classic veteran-versus-rookie setup. Today's matchup to watch will stay in the center channel and look at two younger MLS players: Julian Hall versus Morrison Agyemang.
Julian Hall - NYRB - Striker
This 18-year-old striker has taken the pitch by storm for the New York Red Bulls this season. Head Coach Michael Bradley shook things up for the squad this 2026 season by starting several younger players, especially Julian Hall.
Starting in all 16 matches so far this season, Hall has recorded nine goals and three assists.
Hall's goal-scoring has brought his name to the forefront of MLS news headlines. His hat-trick against the Columbus Crew on Matchday 13 not only earned him a spot on MLS Team of the Matchday but also made him the youngest player in MLS history to log a regular-season hat-trick, surpassing FC Dallas product and USMNT striker Ricardo Pepi.
His performance in both MLS and MLS Next Pro has even gained international attention. Rumors about his links to the Poland national team and the USMNT have fans speculating about his international career and calling for some call-ups.
Morrison Agyemang - CLTFC - Centerback Center back Morrison Agyemang represents some of Charlotte's newest and youngest talent. The 21-year-old has become a recent starter for Charlotte after the departure of Adilson Malanda to Middlesbrough FC. His strength and energy on the back line have been refreshing next to veteran defenders like Harry Toffolo, Nathan Byrne, and Tim Ream. So far this season, Morrison has started 14 matches and scored 2 goals, demonstrating his importance for Smith's 2026 season plans.
Defensively, Morrison has made 120 defensive contributions and 73 clearances, demonstrating his high work rate on the back line.
His growth as a player this season has also been tangible as he continues to improve with each match. Unlike a traditional, purely defensive center back, he has shown the ability to accurately direct headers into the opposition's net in critical moments.
Summary
Hall and Agyemang represent two of MLS's brightest young talents, making this one of the most intriguing individual battles of the match.
Hall has emerged as one of the league's most dangerous goal scorers, while Agyemang has quickly established himself as a reliable presence in Charlotte's back line. Their matchup will test whether Hall can continue his scoring form or if Agyemang can contain one of MLS's prominent young strikers.
Predicted Starting XI
Here's our predicted lineup for Charlotte FC at New York Red Bulls:
Defensive Unit
Kristijan Kahlina will likely be back in the fold against the Red Bulls. Kahlina made some quality saves in the first half against Atlanta but could not maintain that level in the second half.
Dean Smith spoke on his backline against Atlanta, mentioning some disconnection in defense. David Schnegg should return to the backline after serving his one-match suspension. He will likely be alongside Tim Ream, Morrison Agyemang and Will Cleary.
Tyler Miller, Andrew Privett, Nathan Byrne and Harry Toffolo will likely be substitutes for tonight's match.
Midfield
Captain Ashley Westwood will likely return to midfield with Pep Biel alongside him. The big question lies with who rounds out the midfield. Dean Smith has mentioned he is being cautious with minutes due to the short week and the upcoming Leagues Cup matches.
Luca De La Torre got the nod against Atlanta, but Smith could most likely start Djibril Diani or even Brandt Bronico to manage minutes against the Red Bulls.
If Diani gets the start, Brandt Bronico and Luca De La Torre will be available as subs.
Forward line
Allan St-Maximin's visa has not yet been approved, so we will not see his debut for Charlotte FC tonight.
The forward line showed promise against Atlanta, with Liel Abada and Kerwin Vargas both scoring goals. Archie Goodwin took the starting striker position, but with the short week, we could see Idan Toklomati as the starting striker.
Dean Smith spoke on Rodolfo Aloko, mentioning that he has high energy but still needs more composure. Aloko will likely be utilized as a sub.
Archie Goodwin and Tyger Smalls will also be available as subs.
Predicted Starting XI
