2019-03-01 World Soccer

ON BOTH SIDES

NEW YORK CITY NEW YORK RED BULLS

NEXT ISSUE ON SALE MARCH 22

W

ith huge distances

between many of its

clubs, it is rare for two

MLS sides to engage in

the sort of passionate local dispute that

football evokes in cities the world over.

But in no time at all, a fledgling rivalry

has quickly sprung up on opposing banks

of New York’s Hudson River.

Formed in 1994 as New York /New

Jersey MetroStars and then

rebranded in 2006 when sold

to the energy-drinks company,

New York Red Bulls are based

in New Jersey. But while they

did meet other local teams –

playing the now defunct^

FC New York and New York

Cosmos in the US Open Cup

• there was no New York City
  side in MLS until Manchester
  City, in association with the
  New York Yankees baseball
  team, paid the $100million

RI V^ ALS

Hudson River derby is the real deal as far as MLS is concerned

CLASSIC ENCOUNTERS

2015

May 10

Despite being reduced to

10 men in the first half following Matt

Miazga’s sending off, Red Bulls won

the first meeting 2-1.

2016

May 21

Red Bulls continued their

dominance of the fixture and made it four

wins out of four, equalling the MLS record

for the largest margin of victory by thrashing

their rivals 7-0 at Yankee Stadium.

2016

July 3

At the sixth time of asking,

NYCFC finally triumphed in the derby, Jack

Harrison and David Villa getting the goals in

a 2-0 victory.

2017

Aug 6

David Villa scored a hat-trick

as NYCFC won 3-2 – a performance that

led to the 35-year-old being recalled to the

Spanish national squad after an absence of

three years.

2018

Aug 22

Bradley Wright-Phillips’ goal

in a 1-1 draw was his 12th in a fixture that

has only been played 12 times. Of those

dozen meetings, Red Bulls have won six,

while NYCFC have won four, with two

derbies being drawn.

expansion fee to join the league in 2015.

When NYCFC began playing in MLS^

it was assumed that any friction with the

team on the other side of the river was

just a marketing fabrication. But meetings

between the two clubs soon witnessed an

increasing level of animosity, both on and

off the pitch.

Red Bulls fans feel aggrieved that the

newcomers, who play their home games

at Yankee Stadium, did not

adhere to MLS guidelines on

stadium plans. They also point

to a conveyor belt of ageing

European stars turning up for

one last payday.

For their part, NYCFC fans

believe this is just jealousy

from a club who have never

attracted publicity or public

support in the same way that

the new kids on the block have.

Hostilities recommence at the

Red Bull Arena on July 14.

JASON HERNANDEZ

● 2005

● 2015-16

CLAUDIO REYNA

● 2007-08

● (sporting director)

2013-present

MEHDI BALLOUCHY

● 2010-12

● 2014-16

RYAN MEARA

● 2012-present

● (loan) 2015

Local squabble...Red

Bulls’ Felipe (centre)

gets involved

Most recent...NYCFC’s Sebastien
Ibeagha (right) challenges Andreas
Ivan of Red Bulls last August

V