Omar Valencia Made His First Career MLS Start

Although Saturday's match against FC Cincinnati wasn't the result we were expecting, there were some positives to take away from the game. Without fan favorite, talented left back John Tolkin, one of the players in the team had to step up to fill in the left back/left wingback role. 20 year old, Panama international, New York Red Bulls left back, Omar Valencia, started his first game with the team and Sandro was pleased with the player's performance.

Coach Sandro Schwarz mentioned that Omar Valencia represents the identity of the club. In 2024, Omar Valencia had a great year with New York Bulls II, as a reward, the player was promoted to the first team for the 2025 MLS season. Sandro stated that Omar Valencia had a great preseason, and on Saturday against FC Cincinnati, it wasn't any different, "he had a lot of good moments. He was strong in defense, good combination with Hack on the side."

Coach Sandro Schwarz extended his analysis and highlighted that Omar Valencia also had some good moments in the team's buildup, and showed an ability to resolve in small spaces. "So, for the first game, (it) was a very good performance of him.” Starting in your first game with the first team, away, in a hostile environment such as TQL Stadium, was not going to be an easy task for any young player. However, Omar Valencia showed his mettle, playing a full match in the team's first game of the season, contributing to the team with a solid defensive performance.

Feb. 22, 2025 Credit: New York Red Bulls