Red Bulls II will play its first game since March 7. (Photo courtesy of Red Bulls II)

HARRISON, N.J. – Red Bulls II hosts Hartford Athletic in its first USL Championship match in its return to play at Red Bull Arena Friday at 7 p.m.

NYRB II hopes to record its first win of the season after losing its March 7 opener to the Tampa Bay Rowdies.

The will celebrate its annual Futures Night as it will celebrate the Red Bulls Pre-Academy with customized kits that will be auctioned off after the match. All donations will go to Wings for Life.

The last time these two sides met, NYRB II defeated Hartford Athletic, 5-1, at Dillon Stadium last season. NYRB II hold the series lead, winning both matches last season including a 4-0 victory at MSU Soccer Park.

This will be Hartford Athletic’s first match of the season, with head coach Radhi Jaidi managing his first game.

The contest will mark the first time NYRB II has played at Red Bull Arena since June 2, 2018.

NYRB II will travel to Subaru Park to take on Philadelphia Union II on July 22.

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.