New York City FC II did their mother-club right by finally handing Red Bulls a loss in the US Open Cup after many tries over the years. Much of it was due to the work of JJ Jimenez who scored a hat trick for the club in a 4-2 win at Belson on Wednesday night. All of this despite the conditions which were less than optimal for all involved.
“He put a shift up there and worked hard,” said NYCFC II head coach Matt Pilkington. “He deserved the three goals. For a player that’s played on the wing the last couple of seasons, to play up there as a nine, which he has done in the past and has been quite effective. We know he’s versatile, so he gave us that look tonight. I’m happy for him to get three goals.”
The game was hard on both teams. Not only was there an inability to call down players from the first team due to impending MLS league games, but both clubs were missing players for the Generation Adidas tournament that showcases many of the talents being cultivated by teams like Red Bulls II and City II. This opened up the occasion for the likes of Jimenez, Malachi Jones and Agustin Ojeda to shine on a much larger stage than MLS Next Pro.
While the performance wasn’t perfect by City, with long stretches where the Red Bulls pressured for an equalizer, the team bent but didn’t break. And when the opportunity arose to strike back, City did just that in impressive fashion.
“I thought they were really good,” said Pilkington when asked about Jones and Ojeda. “We spent some time yesterday planning and preparing the group. Malachi has been with us before, so he knows the group and the dynamic, but he’s very fluid. Those guys, they come down, they have a little bit more attitude, great effort and they just want to play. So I was really happy.”
This win moves City into the third round of the US Open Cup. Their opponents have yet to be decided. However, this rivalry isn’t over as both teams will meet back at Belson next week in league play. For Pilkington and his team, it may be a moment that sets them apart in a landscape of reserve teams that has been dominated by Red Bull in recent years.