Mohammed Sofo was not supposed to be anywhere near the New York Red Bulls’ starting lineup for their home opener on Saturday night against Nashville SC.
The 20-year-old Ghanaian was a late sub after star forward Lewis Morgan was scratched due to an injury he picked up during Friday’s training, adding him to an already-concerning list of injuries to the team’s attackers. New signing Wiktor Bogacz is dealing with a back injury, Serge Ingoma is out with an abdominal issue, and Roald Mitchell took a knock to his knee.
A hasty replacement, certainly. He found out from head coach Sandro Schwarz the morning of Saturday night’s home opener that he would be starting in place of Morgan — his first-career MLS start in just his third-career league appearance.
“I didn’t know about [Morgan’s injury],” Sofo said. “So I came in [Saturday] and [Schwarz] told me that I was starting tonight… I was ready to play. So when he told me I was playing, it wasn’t a shock, because mentally, I was ready.”
He did not have to wait long to make an impact.
In the seventh minute, he hopped on an Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting shot that rang off the right post and slotting it past the sprawled, out-of-position Nashville goalkeeper Joseph Willis. A first-career MLS goal in his first career start.
First @mls start.
FIRST MLS GOAL‼️@Audi | #RedRunsDeep pic.twitter.com/3j4X5F6hxj
— New York Red Bulls (@NewYorkRedBulls) March 2, 2025
“I’m very happy to score. Basically, it’s part of my job: Create chances and score goals,” Sofo said. “Honestly, I was waiting for this moment for a long time. I was working very hard. I didn’t know when the chance will come, but I was always ready… I guess I’m just happy. I’m happy for this moment.”
He will not have many easier goals to finish in his career, regardless of how long it stretches. But getting on the end of it cannot simply be chalked up to being at the right place at the right time.
“At the training ground, the coaches always tell us that when you’re in front of the goal, it doesn’t matter if you shoot, you have to be ready,” Sofo said. “You never know what will happen, so I think it’s something that we’re used to doing.”
Sofo has spent the majority of the previous two seasons working his way through the Red Bulls’ academy, which plays in MLS Next Pro. He started 17 of his 18 appearances, recording six goals with six assists.
“It’s good not only to have these guys, but to have the spirit that can [make an impact] when guy come in directly from the second team,” Schwarz said. “That’s very, very important for us, because we have some injuries. We have some players who are out, but now, it’s a good reaction. A very good reaction. And I’m very proud of the whole team, of all the guys.
