QUEENS, NY — The New York Red Bulls gained the ultimate bragging rights with a 2-0 win over New York City FC (NYCFC) in the Eastern Conference semifinals at Citi Field in the first-ever postseason Hudson River Derby on Saturday night.
A stunning 25-yarder from Felipe Carballo and Dante Vanzeir’s poked finish gave the Red Bulls a two-goal advantage after 25 minutes, with the visitors surviving a second-half onslaught to reach the Eastern Conference final next weekend.
“What a great performance today,” Red Bulls head coach Sandro Schwarz said. “In the first half, we had very good offensive behavior. In the second half, it was more our defensive quality and to fight and help each other.”
NYCFC, who won both of the regular-season meetings between the two teams this season, often looked short of ideas in attack and failed to convert a series of gilt-edged opportunities in what is a disappointing end to their season.
The Red Bulls, on the other hand, can now look forward to a meeting with the winners of Orlando City and Atlanta United next weekend after a sensational turnaround in form in the postseason. Sandro Schwarz’s side had won just three of their final 18 games of the regular season but rebounded magnificently in the playoffs, dumping out Columbus Crew and NYCFC.
This is their first appearance in the Eastern Conference Final since 2018.
“What a feeling,” Red Bulls captain Emil Forsberg said. “Proud, first of all, of this team. I’m proud of how we delivered this match. It wasn’t an easy one… It wasn’t a beautiful one, but we took our chances, showed mentality as a team… An amazing victory. Happy to win the first Hudson River Derby in the playoffs, as well.”
Both sides struggled to create clear-cut chances early on, with defenses very much on top in the early stages.
NYCFC’s Justin Haak made a crucial goal-saving tackle to deny Vanzeir from converting from close range after eight minutes, before Sean Nealis was on hand to deny Alonso Martinez as he raced through on goal at the other end five minutes later.
In an opening quarter starved of any real chances, it was hardly surprising that the opener came out of nothing.
Vanzeir rose highest to beat James Sands to a looping ball outside the NYCFC penalty box and found Carballo in space. The midfielder let fly from 25 yards out, beating Matt Freese all ends up with a fiercely-struck left-footed shot to the top corner to give Red Bulls the lead after 16 minutes.
“When I scored, I couldn’t believe it at first,” Carballo said. “It’s something great for me and for the team because we can win.”
They doubled their advantage nine minutes later when Vanzeir poked home via the post after Emil Forsberg’s whipped corner caused a scramble in the NYCFC penalty area.
Martinez had a golden opportunity to reduce the arrears 90 seconds later when he latched onto a through ball from Hannes Wolf but could only fire tamely at Carlos Coronel.
The hosts struggled to create for the remainder of the half, however, with Red Bulls’ two-goal advantage sucking the life out of the Citi Field crowd.
There was time for Martinez to spurn one more golden opportunity when the Costa Rican striker failed to properly connect with a Wolf cross deep into first-half stoppage time.
NYCFC was a changed outfit after the interval and should have narrowed the deficit in the opening minutes of the second period.
Coronel was on hand to superbly tip a curling Martinez around the post before Keaton Parks failed to find the target from a free header from just six yards out.
A sickening collision between Haak and Sean Nealis on the hour mark snuffed out any NYCFC momentum, with Nealis forced to leave the field after being seemingly knocked unconscious.
The hosts did fashion a number of chances as the game entered its final stages but found their accuracy wanting at crucial moments.
First, Wolf dragged an effort across the face of goal from a promising position with 17 minutes remaining before Coronel comfortably saved a tame effort from Maxi Moralez after the Argentine was found by a superb defense-splitting pass from Andres Perea.
NYCFC pumped cross after cross into the Red Bulls box in the closing stages but never looked like forcing a way back into the contest as “New York Red” echoed around Citi Field at the final whistle.
“Our box defending was very good in these situations,” Schwarz said. “… Our defensive behavior in this stadium, on the road, to have this reaction without having a game in three weeks was not easy… We are very happy, we are satisfied, but we have to keep this level for the next one.”
