Sometimes one team just has another’s number. That’s the case when it comes the Red Bulls and New York City FC.
The Red Bulls took the first of four 2017 matches from their Hudson River Derby rivals Wednesday night in the first-ever U.S. Open Cup matchup between the two sides. The win is the sixth for the Red Bulls throughout the young history of the rivalry.
Although history is against them, the Blues still look forward to their three regular-season matches against them this summer.
“I think it’s a fantastic challenge,” said NYCFC head coach Patrick Vieira. “As a football club, as a coach, as a player, this is a challenge that can be really exciting.”
NYCFC returns to Red Bull Arena on June 24. But first, the club has shifted focus onto their match against the defending MLS Cup champion Seattle Sounders on Saturday (1 p.m. ET, ESPN) at Yankee Stadium.
The Blues are looking to grab three points and momentum against the defending champs in the Bronx, a place where they’ve been dominant this season. NYCFC has lost just one of their last 15 at home dating back to last year (11-1-3) and are off to a strong start this year, posting a 4-1-2 record while outscoring opponents, 15-8.
“We expect big things of ourselves,” NYCFC goalkeeper Sean Johnson said. “We’ve got to press on and get results now.”
NYCFC will get some much-needed help for Saturday’s match as Maxime Chanot (hamstring), Yangel Herrera and Rodney Wallace (both international duty) are all expected to be available for selection.
