Caden Clark (right) scored Red Bulls II’s first goal. (Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports)

Red Bulls II squandered a two-goal, second-half lead and was forced to settle for a 2-2 draw with San Diego Loyal FC in a USL Championship match at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J. on Thursday night.

The result moved the hosts to 1-10-2 and five points while San Diego added a point (6-3-4, 22).

Thomas Amang’s second goal of the final half in the 88th minute lifted the visitors into the deadlock.

New York opened the scoring in the 16th minute, as Jonathan Filipe slipped a pass through a defender to Caden Clark, who took a few steps with the ball and ripped a shot into the net. Clark’s goal was his first of the season and the fourth of his Red Bulls II career. He also made his first appearance and start of the season in the match. It was Filipe’s first assist of his pro career.

Red Bulls II doubled their advantage in the 24th minute. Jeremy Rafanello drew multiple defenders towards him at the far edge of the box and played a ball to Sam Williams, who sent in a shot. Williams scored his first professional goal, marking the second Red Bulls Academy player to score in a match this season (Illia Tyrkus, May 14).

San Diego sliced the lead in half in the 50th minute, as halftime substitute Amang headed in the ball after it was headed to him by Alejandro Guido.

The visitors evened the score in the 88th minute, as Amang capitalized off a pass from Nick Moon that took a slight deflection.

Rafanello’s assist was his first of the season and the seventh of his professional career.

Goalkeeper AJ Marcucci recorded five saves, surpassing 100 for his pro career. He became the second player to record triple digit saves with Red Bulls II (Evan Louro, 206).

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.