It was the fifth game of New York Red Bulls’ 2018 preseason and the first preseason friendly of the year for Phoenix Rising: not a match to read too much into. But also the first RBNY match of 2018 that fans could actually watch for themselves - so let’s read something into it.
The Red Bulls played USL’s Phoenix Rising FC on the evening of February 10, 2018, at the USL team’s home ground. PRFC is an ambitious club, openly and aggressively chasing an expansion slot in MLS. That ambition is perhaps best illustrated by the team’s most famous player: Didier Drogba, who is also an investor in the club.