NYCFC Demolishes Red Bulls 5-1 in Hudson River Derby Showdown

Published: Sunday, September 29, 2024

by CJ Weipz

HARRISON, N.J. – There are over 170,000 words in the Oxford English Dictionary, but only one can describe the scene on Saturday night: rough. Everything about the night was rough. From the play on the field to the light rain, nothing seemed to go the Red Bulls’ way.

The loss marks just the seventh of the year for Sandro Schwarz’s squad, but it extends their winless streak to eight games, a slump that began in late June. The 5-1 defeat to their city rival is yet another chapter of disappointment in an already challenging season.

“We are very disappointed, for sure,” Red Bulls coach Sandro Schwarz said. “About the result, the mistakes, the behavior—because it’s a derby... we are definitely very angry about that.”

The first 10 minutes of the match set the tone for the rest of the action in Harrison. NYCFC got on the board early after an errant pass from Red Bulls goalkeeper Carlos Coronel was intercepted by Maxi Moráles, who scored uncontested.

Just a few minutes later, Alonso Martínez intercepted a pass from Daniel Edleman and carried it all the way to score NYCFC’s second goal of the night in the seventh minute.

The opening minutes also highlighted another hallmark of any good rivalry: physicality. Following the pair of goals, Andrés Reyes received his second yellow card of the night after committing a tough foul in the Red Bulls' defensive third. The rest of the team raised their intensity, drawing five NYCFC fouls in the minutes that followed.

Dante Vanzeir was a pivotal offensive force in the match, creating the majority of the team's chances both as a playmaker and a target. In the 27th minute, the Red Bulls capitalized on one of their nine corner kicks, with Vanzeir finding the back of the net amidst the chaos in the box to make it a 2-1 game.

However, the momentum was short-lived, as NYCFC quickly caught the Red Bulls off guard again, with Andrés Perea scoring their third goal of the evening on a flying header.

The Red Bulls' attack focused on the left side of the formation, with Cameron Harper and John Tolkin alternating runs and seizing opportunities. However, the slippery conditions and the lack of effective pressure from the forwards prevented them from being truly dangerous.

The first half ended as it began, with Martínez scoring just before the halftime whistle. The Red Bulls found themselves trailing 4-1 at the break, marking their largest halftime deficit of the year.

The second half began with little excitement, but a substitution in the 58th minute injected much-needed energy into the Red Bulls' offense. For the first time since late June, Emil Forsberg entered the match alongside Elias Mannoel. The duo created several chances but were unable to capitalize on any of them.

The cherry on top came in the 67th minute when Tayvon Gray added his name to the scoresheet with a goal of his own. NYCFC maintained their lead for the remainder of the match, securing a 5-1 victory in the Hudson River Derby.

The Red Bulls now sit in sixth place in the Eastern Conference and will face Toronto FC on Wednesday, October 2.

CJ Weipz is an Assistant Sports Director for WSOU 89.5 and can be reached at christopher.wiepz@student.shu.edu. 

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