For the first time, New York Red Bulls II are heading to MLS NEXT Pro Cup.
A triumphant 2-1 comeback at Sports Illustrated Stadium over regional rivals Philadelphia Union II on Saturday was led by striker Roald Mitchell, whose second-half brace was every bit as stylish as it was crucial to claiming the 2025 Eastern Conference crown.
Staring down a 1-0 deficit at halftime, the 22-year-old New Jersey native took matters into his own hands to flip the script with absolute golazos from both sides of the box in the 71st and 83rd minutes in an action-packed 85-minute shift.
His heroics overcame a Union II lead set by Stas Korzeniowski, who combined with Eddy Davis in the 38th minute to give the Red Bull faithful plenty of panic as the minutes ticked down to halftime.
Once the late lead was in hand, RBNY II expertly handled the proverbial kitchen sink Union II threw their way, holding onto the slim margin to see their way to the first cup final of their MLS NEXT Pro era.
Goals
Man of the Match
No surprise, Mitchell's comeback heroics made him the easy choice for Man of the Match honors. The Wake Forest product has come up clutch in the playoffs, scoring four goals through the first three matches, and his four overall put him on the cusp of MLS NEXT Pro history for the most in a playoff campaign should he score a fifth.
Western challenger TBD
The reward of being the highest remaining seed, RBNY II will host the winner of Sunday's Colorado Rapids 2 vs. MNUFC2 clash (8:30 PM ET | MLS Season Pass).
At home, they've posted a dominant 10W-1L-3T record in 2025, along with their three postseason wins.
