Feature photo Credit: @aizumedia
Queens, NY — On a cold Saturday night at Citi Field, the New York Red Bulls traveled across the Hudson River to take on New York City Football Club in the first edition of the New York Derby in the MLS Playoffs.
Yes, Red Bull entered the game undefeated against NYC in elimination games, but those games were in the US Open Cup and Leagues Cup. Another caveat is that all four of those games were played at Red Bull Arena. This time, City would be the home team and has owned Red Bull in 2024, outscoring Sandro Schwarz's team 7-2 in the two games they played in the regular season.
This time, Red Bull came to play and punched City square in the face and they never recovered. After 90 minutes, Red Bull and their traveling fans erupted following Allen Chapman's final whistle, defeating their bitter rivals 2-0 to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2018.
“We’ve seen everything that’s been written about us, people talking about us,” Red Bull captain Emil Forsberg said post-game. “I think even before the Columbus game, I don’t even think they mentioned our name before the game and just went, ‘Yeah, it’s a sweep. I think a lot of people should apologize to us now. Before coming into this, I was sure all the time, but some weren’t. I’m happy about the result, but we’re looking forward. We have a big one next week.”
Photo Credit: Maria Isabelle & M.I Sports
With their victory in Queens, Red Bull is now 5-0 against their cross-town rivals in "elimination" games. Fans on the other side might point to their little Covid Cup as being the best team in NY. But when these two teams play, it's been Red Bull that usually comes out victorious.
Let's take a trip down memory lane before we get to the game. Red Bull and City met for the first time in a knockout match in the 2017 US Open Cup 4th round, and thanks to a goal from Daniel Royer, they came away with a 1-0 victory.
The two teams would meet the very next season, again in the 4th round with Daniel Royer netting two goals and Red Bull dominating with a 4-0 win. In the 2022 Quarterfinals, Red Bull would make it 3-0 against City in elimination games when Lewis Morgan, Luquinhas, and Omir Fernandez all scored in a 3-0 win to advance to the Semi-Finals of the Open Cup.
Red Bull's dominance against City made its way to the first edition of the Leagues Cup between both MLS and Liga MX teams after both New York squads made it out of the group stage. Bronx native Omir Fernandez scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot to eliminate New York City from the competition.
Red Bull's academy has done a great job at producing professional players, wheater that's with Red Bull or teams abroad. Players like the aforementioned Omir Fernandez (Bronx), Kyle Duncan (Brooklyn), Alex Muyl & Julian Hall (Manhattan), Davi Alexandre (Queens), Ryan Meara (Yonkers), Sean & Dylan Nealis (Massapequa), Tyler Adams (Wappingers Falls) and Curtis Ofori (Hopewell Junction) are all born and bread in New York and all were either in the Red Bull academy or developed by Red Bull once they turned pro. If you want to develop and become a pro, you make your way down to Hannover, New Jersey.
Photo Credit: Leagues Cup
This will only continue when Red Bull completes its state-of-the-art training facility in Morris Township, which is set to open in the Fall of 2025. Including eight full-size outdoor soccer pitches, including a turf field and complementary training areas, this new facility will house future academy prospects from around the metropolitan area Red Bull dominates this rivalry on and off the pitch. That's the real reason why New York is Red.
Back to the game last Saturday night. In the first two games this season, City gave Red Bull a taste of their own medicine by pressing Red Bull and playing very direct which was very successful for Nick Cushing and his team. This time around, Red Bull made adjustments to neutralize City's attack.
As they showed in their series against the defending MLS Cup champion Columbus Crew, Red Bull switched up their system from a 4-2-2-2 to a 3-4-1-2. Instead of allowing City to have a direct route to the goal, Red Bull sat back with just 29% possession and forced City to have the ball all game, a team that struggled to score for the majority of the season.
In the 16th minute, Red Bull would do something they had not done all season against City and that was score first. On a goal kick, Carlos Coronel's ball from his box was initially won by a City defender. However, Dante Vanzeir would win the secondary ball in the air right into the path of Felipe Carballo. Two touches later Caballo hit a swerving rocket into the top left corner of the net as the Urauguain ran over to the New York City supporters in right field of Citi Field to celebrate Red Bull's 1-0 lead.
Video via MLS
“When I scored, I didn’t believe it at first, but it’s something great for me and for the team because we can win,” Carballo said. “I have a lot of confidence in myself. I think that it’s very important for all the players. You have to try, and I try, and I score, so I have to continue doing that.”
Eight minutes later, Red Bull would double their lead and stun the crowd at Citi Field. From the left corner flag, Emil Forsberg sent a cross into a crowd of players in the box, which landed at the feet of Dante Vanzeir, whose first-time shot went off the far post and into the net to give Red Bull a massive 2-0 lead inside a half-hour.
Red Bull fans have tried to run Vanzeir out of town in 2024 due to his lack of goal-scoring in the regular season. But in the playoffs, the Belgian has shown up, scoring in two of the biggest games Red Bull has played in this decade.
“I know in the playoffs, it’s when it matters the most, and I try to give my best for the team. I’m happy that I can help the team now in those two games with a goal,” Vanzeir said. Sometimes, you also have to be lucky, and some shots go in, and some don’t. Today it went in.” Sure, Dante did get lucky to see the ball just bounce right onto his foot, but to have the wherewithal to hit that ball first time and sneak it inside the post is what Red Bull has been looking for since they signed him from Union Saint-Gilloise in the winter of 2023.
Photo Credit: @aizumedia
For the next 60 minutes, Red Bull would bunker in their defensive third and look to protect their two-goal advantage. City did have some changes to claw a goal back in different periods of this game but as he's shown all postseason, Carlos Coronel was ready to play. The Paraguayan international made seven saves for Red Bull and was an overall calming figure in goal for Red Bull as they were able to preserve their second clean sheet of the postseason.
Red Bull is now onto the Eastern Conference finals and will travel to Florida to take on Orlando City. Orlando is coming off its own victory, which saw them dispatch Atlanta United 1-0 in its game at Inter&Co Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Box Score (RBNY/NYC)
Shots (On Target): 9 (3) - 25 (6)
Expected Goals: 0.88 - 2.80
Possession: 29% - 71%
Corners: 5 - 13
Fouls Committed: 18 - 9
Highlights via MLS
This game highlighted Red Bull's manager Sandro Schwarz's ability to adapt when things aren't working. Schwarz has put on a master class of a playoff up to this point and in that first 45' at Citi Field, the players executed his plan to perfection.
“It’s our first year together. Great performance today as well,” Schwarz said after the game.
“I would say in the first half, we had very good situations, also in our offense behavior, and in the second half, it was more our defense quality and to fight to help each other. I think this was the key today, especially then, to win a lot of second balls."
With the game just 30 miles across the Hudson River from Red Bull Arena, the Red Bull front office made it their mission to get as many fans wearing red to the game at Citi Field to support the team. It was reported that Red Bull purchased over 500 tickets for the supporter groups and provided transportation to Queens.
Via South Ward Network on X
“I want to say thank you to all the supporters in our stadium. This was a great atmosphere in the stadium, and our support was great,” Schwarz told the media on Saturday night.
“It’s a big win today, but at the end, it’s the next step, and we have to continue this hard work, and next week is the next game.”
The fans also had an impact that the players on the field. Captain Emil Forsberg said all he could hear throughout the game was "Let's go Red Bulls". Mind you this was a road game for Red Bull.
“The fans who were here were incredible. I think I heard, let’s go Red Bulls more than anything on the stadium,” said Forsberg after the game. “I was happy and proud for all and to get this victory here with our fans after the two previous defeats. It was important for us to give back as well. It was our duty a little bit to give back, and we did it.
Photo Credit: Maria Isabelle & M.I Sports
With the victory in Queens Saturday night, Red Bull is now just two wins away from lifting their first-ever MLS Cup. But they have one more step before the Final as they take on Orlando City in the Eastern Conference Finals, a place Red Bull hasn't been since 2018.
New York will look to avenge their US Open Cup semi-final loss in 2022 against Orlando. Many of the core players from that team are still with Red Bull. A win this Saturday night in the Sunshine State will not only erase their demons from that night but it will also see Red Bull play for MLS Cup for the first time since they lost to the Columbus Crew 3-1 in 2008.
