A 2024 MLS Cup second-round playoff tie arrives in the form of the most crucial Hudson River Deby in New York soccer history. New York City FC (NYCFC) host the New York Red Bulls at Citi Field on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. ET.
It will be the first Hudson River playoff derby in its eight-year history and the 30th iteration, in which the Red Bulls hold a 15-10-4 record advantage over their crosstown rivals. This season, NYCFC holds onto the Hudson River derby trophy after doing the double over the Red Bulls. In May, Monsef Bakrar scored the winner to decide a 2-1 match in Flushing, and a 5-1 demolition in Sept. in New Jersey ensured the Big Apple was blue.
The Red Bulls had been in a rut of form in the second half of the season, winning three in 18 matches and falling to seventh from a fourth position that looked solidified before June. They haven’t made it past the first round since 2018.
Head coach Sandro Schwarz and his team pulled off an upset, though, defeating Columbus in two games: a 1-0 win in Ohio and a 2-2 result, which RBNY won 5-4 in the penalty shootout.
Carlos Coronel made three successive saves to deny the Crew’s last three takers to complete the upset over the MLS Cup reigning champions and win man of the match. Coronel also made a playoff club-record eight saves in Game 1 to keep his fifth clean sheet in the MLS and deny Cucho Hernandez. He scored 19 goals in the season and was nominated for the MLS Player of the Year award alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.
Schwarz ensured his side remained organized and was more than happy for his opponents to have the ball. The Red Bulls sat deep and frustrated the Crew, and when the ball was won, looking to immediately play it to willing runners Lewis Morgan and Dante Vanzeir. Captain Emil Forsberg will keep things ticking for the Red Bulls in midfield, while former Celtic product Cameron Harper will play a part with his versatility, which is a key part of Schwarz’s plans.
“You go through spells where I have conflicting feelings about it… but it’s also an added bonus that Sandro trusts me to play in other positions,” Harper told amNew York. “The fact that he trusts me to do that, that gives me a bunch of confidence.
NYCFC finished one position higher than RBNY for sixth place in the regular season with 50 points and 14 wins. It’s their first return to the playoffs since a 2022 exit in the semifinals to the Philadelphia Union. Nick Cushing and his squad also pulled off an upset, taking FC Cincinnati to three games and winning on penalties in Game 3.
It will be a showdown between the keepers, as one of City’s standout players this year is goalkeeper Matt Freese. He made four big saves to keep the game goalless and snap a 15-match streak without a clean sheet. He stepped up in the shootout, saving penalties from Pavel Bucha, Gerardo Valenzuela, and Teenage Hadebe for Mitja Ilenič to step up and bury the decisive spot-kick. Freese ran and bear-hugged the 19-year-old after cupping his ears towards the Cincinnati fans.
City will stick to their principles of pressing high and building out from the back, with other key players Maxi Moralez, who got a goal and an assist in that 5-1 win, and Santiago Rodriguez, instrumental in how NYCFC will look to dictate the tempo in the middle of the park. It might just fall into Schwarz’s trap, but Nick Cushing is more than capable of tactical flexibility between and during matches.
The passion will be dialed up tenfold in Queens on Saturday, with both sets of supporters sure to be packing the 22,500 seats allocated by Citi Field for this match, which has a maximum capacity of 41,800.
The winner will take on either Atlanta United, who knocked out Supporters’ Shield winners Inter Miami, or Orlando City SC in the Eastern Conference finals.
