The New York Red Bulls have taken full advantage of the Desert Diamond Cup preseason tournament, providing young MLS, USL, and Academy players the chance to face off against MLS opponents.
On Wednesday, Feb. 22, the same day the first team played one of its biggest games of the year in CONCACAF Champions League, the Red Bulls’ Arizona camp gave each MLS, USL and Academy player a minimum 45 minutes of competitive action against Houston Dynamo.
For Homegrown goalkeeper Evan Louro, he was able to log his first 90 minutes against MLS opposition as a member of the senior team.
“This is really what I’ve dreamed of since I was 7-years-old, since I started playing soccer,” Louro said. “I couldn’t really ask for anything else. It was a good opportunity.”
The 21-year-old native of South River, N.J., also noted that the experience was great for his continued adjustment to the high pace of MLS games.
“The MLS speed is obviously a lot faster than what I’m used to, but I think I’ve acclimated pretty well,” Louro said. “As a unit, a lot of young guys have also acclimated pretty well and it was good to get that test.”
Finally, Louro acknowledged the great opportunity Desert Diamond Cup has provided for the young players looking to make an impact with the team.
“Obviously we have a lot of young guys so its good to get some new faces and see a lot of guys get some opportunities to show what they can do. For me, I’m just trying to make myself the best player that I can be.”
