Since 2015, the Hudson River Derby has been one of the best rivalry games in MLS. We’ve seen the famous 7-0 win from the Red Bulls, and we’ve also seen how NYCFC are starting to get big wins against their rivals in recent years.
This weekend, we will have the first Hudson River Derby of the year, at least in MLS. We already saw the two teams face off in the U.S. Open Cup a couple weeks ago, where NYCFC walked away as the winners in Sports Illustrated Stadium. Can the Red Bulls avenge that loss in the same stadium?
The two teams have same points after 13 league games so this will be an interesting matchup. Let’s dive in.
Red Bulls’ Form
The Red Bulls decided to go through a youth revolution this year with many young players being given an opportunity to play. Even head coach Michael Bradley is young: the former USMNT captain is the same age as Lionel Messi. This is his first top flight head coaching job.
One of the young players making the best use of the opportunities given is Julian Hall. The academy graduate already has 12 goals in 15 games this season in all competitions.
That is a fantastic record for anyone; even more incredible to see it from an 18-year-old. He is already getting a lot of interest from Poland to go and represent them internationally, and their Federation President met with his Polish mom in NYC.
Adri Mehmeti might only be 17, but is playing like a veteran midfielder. He’s featured all 13 MLS games this year, and managed to score against Inter Miami in their new stadium.
With the young manager and young players, results are going to be mixed and that’s what’s happening to the Red Bulls. They have five wins but also five losses and three draws. They can score but they also concede a lot. The best example of this combination of lethal attack and porous defense would be the 4-4 draw against D.C. United last month.
NYCFC’s Form
Just like their rivals, NYCFC also have five wins, five losses, and three draws. Unlike the Red Bulls, they are a lot more sound defensively.
USMNT goalkeeper Matt Freese is solid in goal, while the veteran Brazilian defensive pair of Thiago Martins and Raul is strong. That’s the strength of this NYCFC side, they’ve built a team that’s hard to break down. The players may not be flashy names but they can get the job done.
That’s not to say they are a team that likes to sit back and bunker. They can play, and they can score goals. In fact, they’ve scored more than the Red Bulls this season. Nicolas Fernandez is on fire with nine goals in 13 league games, and seeing the weak Red Bulls defense will have him salivating.
Just like the Red Bulls, NYCFC also won their last two games. So both teams are in a good form ahead of this clash.
Prediction
This game will be interesting not just because they are bitter rivals, but because of the contrast between the two sides. One team has a bunch of young players and wants to take risks, which also comes with a lot of errors due to inexperience. Meanwhile, the other team has many veteran leaders and knows how to grind out wins.
Playing at home could favor the Red Bulls a bit, but NYCFC have played in that stadium so many times as well and their fans are also going to show up in numbers to have their team’s back. So it may not matter much after all.
It will be a fast paced game with a brilliant atmosphere. But in the end, NYCFC will get another win like they did a couple weeks ago. It will be a good lesson for Bradley and his players.
Prediction: Red Bull New York 0-2 NYCFC
