Bradley Admires Effort But Fails in Results

Red Bull New York lost 2-0 last night over Los Angeles FC, a game in which the club desperately needed to regain ground on their hopes for making the 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs. While head coach Michael Bradley spoke about his team’s grit and effort, their inability to do what matters most, gain points, eluded them yet again. The club now sits in 12th place with only one win since the World Cup break.

“We are disappointed to not be able to come away from this game with any points,” said Bradley after the loss. “We understand that we have to continue to get better and continue to be more concrete in some of the big moments of the game. Again, the group steps on the field in a really strong way and tries to get after things. So that is always a good starting point.”

While the coach may appreciate the starting point, the fans are frustrated by the end product. In their 30 year history, the club has never missed the playoffs in back-to-back seasons. That now appears to be more of a reality than a possibility. The club has only managed two points out of a possible 18 in their past six games and have lost the ability to score goals which came easily early in the campaign.

While fixture congestion may play a factor, the club has to take responsibility for the path they have laid before themselves. Instead of relying on veteran players with a smattering of youth, the club went with one of the youngest line-ups in the league. Proven striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting has barely been a factor after scoring 16 goals in 2025. To coincide, Cade Cowell has only managed two goals and seven assists in 22 appearances. Jorge Ruvalcaba, brought in as a designated player, has only netted seven times in 2026 but hasn’t scored since May.

Overall, the club is in free fall with little to no effort to change direction. The club appears set on winning, or losing, on what they have built this season and in a style that has not shown results since before the summer started.

What comes next is a do-or-die remainder of the road trip. First is a visit to Columbus where they’ll play a Crew club that also is in need of points. One win in their last seven games sees them four points behind Red Bull. After that is the Hudson River Derby. A game that will feel like a de-facto playoff situation. Red Bull now sits at the point where any dropped points could be catastrophic as they round out the end of the season.