The New York Red Bulls have clinched their spot in the MLS Cup Final for the first time in the club’s history, following a dramatic 1-0 victory over Orlando City in the Eastern Conference final on Saturday.
Among those celebrating the milestone is former Cranes captain and the Red Bull’s assistant head coach Ibrahim Sekagya.
Sekagya, who also serves as head coach of Red Bulls II, has worked alongside head coach Sandro Schwarz in what has been a remarkable turnaround for the New Jersey-based club.
The Red Bulls, entering the playoffs as the seventh seed, defied expectations with a string of upsets, including victories over defending champions Columbus Crew and city rivals New York City FC.
Sekagya’s influence was evident in the Eastern Conference final. The team displayed defensive discipline and executed a well-planned counterattack strategy, culminating in a 47th-minute header by Andres Reyes off a perfectly placed free kick from John Tolkin.
Head Coach Schwarz acknowledged the collective effort after the match, saying, “I’m very proud of the whole group. It’s amazing to create this atmosphere and also with this fighting spirit. We have one more week to go, and it’s not done.”
The Red Bulls will face the LA Galaxy in the MLS Cup Final on December 7. The Galaxy, a five-time MLS champion, secured their place in the final with a 1-0 win over the Seattle Sounders, courtesy of a late goal by Serbian forward Dejan Joveljic.
The match will be played at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, as the Galaxy hold home-field advantage as the higher seed.
