Red Bulls Win New York Derby at Yankee Stadium
New York City FC’s fans captured a different kind of victory, outvoting RBNY supporters for the right to have the Empire State Building lit up in their club’s colors, but the club couldn’t pull off the victory on the field.
Soccer News: New York City FC’s four-match unbeaten streak came to an end on Sunday afternoon as the Club suffered a 3-1 loss to the Red Bulls in front of a season-high sellout crowd of 48,047 at Yankee Stadium.
Tommy McNamara’s early goal gave the supporters something to cheer about, but the visitors answered with a trio of goals in the second half to leave with all three points.
New York City FC are now 4-8-5 (17 points), while the Red Bulls improve to 6-5-5 (23 points).
New York City FC couldn’t have asked for a better start in front their largest ever crowd in the Bronx. David Villa played a short corner to Mehdi Ballouchy who teed it back up for the captain. Villa’s cross was headed away by the defense, but not out of harm’s way. Mix Diskerud latched onto the ball on the right side and chipped it into the danger zone. Andrew Jacobson headed it on toward McNamara, who showed lovely control in bringing it down from his chest to his feet before firing home the go-ahead goal to the low far corner in the sixth minute.
New York City FC continued to press, especially off of set pieces. In the 17th minute, Villa worked a short corner kick with Mix. Villa’s cross landed at the feet of defender Chris Wingert at the far post, but his backheel attempt deflected off his other foot and was pounced on by Red Bulls goalkeeper Luis Robles.
Both teams had other opportunities in the first half, but the score remained in favor of the home side.
Just as New York City FC came out firing early in the first half, the Red Bulls did the same in the second interval needing just two minutes to equalize.
Bradley Wright-Phillips’ cross from the left side was deflected by a defender and ended up with Sacha Kljestan, who ran back out that way. His looping effort into the center of the box was met by Wright-Phillips, who one-timed his volley into the back of the net.
The Red Bulls took the lead six minutes later.
Kljestan’s free kick near the far sideline went into the box but wasn’t fully cleared. Mike Grella ran onto it and chipped it toward Anatole Abang, who headed it down to Chris Duvall at the near post, who blasted it home from close range for a 2-1 lead.
The Red Bulls weren’t done though, sealing all of the spoils on a goal by defender Matt Miazga in the 73rd.
Again Kljestan was instrumental in the finish, lofting a ball from the right that was headed in at the far post by the defender.
