On Saturday night, Red Bull Arena hosts one of MLS’s biggest rivalries — the Hudson River Derby — between the New York Red Bulls and New York City FC (NYCFC).
The name originates from both teams’ “home” stadiums situated on opposite sides of the Hudson River — the Red Bull Arena in Harrison, NJ, and NYCFC playing in either Yankee Stadium or Citi Field.
MLS isn’t most known for its intense rivalries, but that landscape is changing. The Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers have boasted a mutual hatred since the 70s, while El Tráfico — LA Galaxy vs. LAFC — has delivered some entertaining matches, including Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s MLS debut for the Galaxy, scoring a hattrick against their cross-town rivals.
The Canadian derby between Toronto FC and CF Montréal is another, although the rivalry transcends soccer into a century-long ice hockey feud. Lastly, the relatively new rivalry between Columbus Crew and FC Cincinnati — dubbed the “Hell is Real” Derby — has become a one-to-watch for both sets of fans. The name stems from a Christian billboard titled the same on Interstate 71 that connects the two cities.
Since the “Boys in Blue” entered the MLS in 2015, NYCFC boasts a 9-11-4 record against the more established Red Bulls, who dominated the early fixtures, including a 7-0 win for the Red Bulls at Yankee Stadium in May 2016. There may be some animosity between the two New York teams due to geography, but the derby lacked history and reasons for fans to dislike each other besides proximity.
The teams have never played each other in a meaningful match that could affect more than just bragging rights. They have never met in the MLS playoffs, and although they have met several times in the U.S. Open Cup, teams don’t seem to prioritize the tournament at the moment.
However, the derby has heated up recently as the gap between the two clubs has narrowed. Last season, the two teams were only separated by three points, as the Red Bulls pipped NYCFC to eighth place and a qualification playoff spot. An opportunity for bad blood to arise, perhaps?
NYCFC currently holds the bragging rights with a 2-1 win at home earlier this season. Blues midfielder Hannes Wolf broke the deadlock in the third minute, but Red Bulls right-winger Cameron Harper managed to pull one back for the traveling team. Algerian center-forward Monsef Bakrar scored the winner after only being substituted on for six minutes.
Saturday’s match could mean more — so much more that it is shaping up to be the most important derby match in the rivalry’s history. With four games left to play in the regular season, the Red Bulls are currently in fourth with 44 points in the Eastern Conference. NYCFC sits in seventh at 41 points. As things stand, both teams will enter the playoffs, but are in precarious positions with neither side’s spot in the post-season confirmed.
“For us, it’s about moments now, and it’s about the momentum that we take from that,” NYCFC head coach Nick Cushing said. “I think at this stage of the season, in my experience of MLS, it’s about the momentum that you take and about the feel of the group and the confidence that you’ve got. We played well in the Miami game, but we are definitely going into this game with confidence.”
NYCFC are winless in nine matches, but earned a late 1-1 draw against Lionel Messi and Inter Miami last week at home thanks to a James Sands equalizer in the last minute. With Toronto FC just five points behind, doing the double over their neighbors seems to be a necessity. The Bronx Blues play a strong FC Cincinnati side sitting comfortably in second at home, then welcome Nashville SC a week later. Home advantage will play a massive factor for the team.
“I said postgame that our fans were incredible in the Miami game. There were blue shirts everywhere,” Cushing said. “When I spoke to our players and I spoke to them post-game, that was a huge factor in fighting. It was of course for our league position and for our push for postseason, but it was all for our fans. Especially when they are behind us, are vocal, and when the atmosphere is as electric as it was. The tifo was the start of it that really inspired us at the start, and they sang over the [Lionel] Messi song, they pushed us to the end and that is more important to us than anything. Everything we do is for our fans.”
They cross the border to play CF Montréal in their last match, who are also chasing a postseason spot in 10th, just two points outside of the playoff places.
The Red Bulls are in a similar rut of form — going five games without a win. A win at home may be crucial as RBNY has three tough fixtures remaining after playing NYCFC. They face a Toronto FC side making their own playoff push, then travel to Atlanta before closing out the season against Columbus Crew, who have secured their own playoff spot in third with 56 points.
“It’s another big game for us, against a team that’s very close to us in the table,” Sands said. “It’s a big rivalry just cause they’re the other New York team, I don’t think we really focus too much on the past or the history of this rivalry, but we do understand its importance for us and for the club.”
