Red Bulls Take Round Two over NYCFC

(Photo by Catalina Fragoso – DoubleGSports)

NYCFC may be the new kids on the block with the fancy new signings but it’s their older counterpart, the New York Red Bulls, who are coming out victorious.

This was the first meeting of the New York Derby at home for NYCFC and the atmosphere was terrific. The sold out stadium included a loud gathering of Red Bulls fans who made the short trip to Yankees Stadium.

The Red Bulls bus was late arriving to the stadium and so were the Red Bulls in the match, at least mentally, as NYCFC opened the scoring early. In just the sixth minute the blue side of NY struck with a goal through Thomas McNamara and shortly after that they threatened to make it two. For the first 20 minutes or so it was all NYCFC, but then the Red Bulls settled into the match.

Despite that, the score did not change going into half time.  NYCFC had been undefeated when leading after half time this season, but that streak ended. Whether it was something Jessie Marsch said or something just clicked, the Red Bulls came out on fire in the second half.

Two goals in five minutes from Bradley Wright-Phillips and Chris Duvall gave the Red Bulls the lead in the 52^nd minute and then Matt Miazga put the icing on the cake with a goal in the 73^rd minute to give the Red Bulls an insurmountable 3-1 lead. It was an impressive and strong effort, much to the delight of the many traveling Red Bulls fans, and it helped catapult the Red Bulls into fourth place in the east with 23 points, just one point behind second place New England, and six points clear of NYCFC.

The Red Bulls will look to beat their other New York rivals, the New York Cosmos, in the U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday at 7:30 at Red Bull Arena.