Match Recap

Red Bulls Goals: Hall 23’, Forsberg 47’

New York City FC Goals: Fernández Mercau 2’, Perea 26’, Martins 65’

Quick Read

New York City FC earned a thrilling 3-2 victory in the Hudson River Derby. Nicolás Fernández Mercau struck inside two minutes to give City the lead, and although the Red Bulls equalized, Andrés Perea restored the advantage with a clever flick. Emil Forsberg leveled again early in the second half, but captain Thiago Martins followed up Perea’s header off the post to fire home the decisive third. Despite late pressure, New York City held firm to secure a memorable derby triumph.

New York City FC crossed the river into Harrison, New Jersey on Saturday to take on Red Bulls in the Hudson River Derby at Sports Illustrated Stadium.

Keen to put a midweek defeat to Inter Miami behind them, Pascal Jansen’s side knew victory would strengthen their pursuit of a top-four finish.

Head Coach Pascal Jansen made one change to the team that took on Miami, introducing Raul Gustavo in place of Kevin O’Toole in defense.

The visitors were backed by a strong traveling support that made themselves heard long before kickoff, and that energy translated onto the pitch with a fast start that saw New York City FC claim the lead after just 95 seconds.

Justin Haak pounced on a loose ball inside the Red Bulls’ half and played it to Nicolás Fernández Mercau, who slotted it low past Carlos Coronel.

The game showed no signs of slowing down during the early exchanges, and a dangerous free kick on the left presented a chance for the Red Bulls, but New York City’s defense cleared the danger.

In the 19th minute, a fast break from New York City saw Nico Fernández play Agustín Ojeda in behind down the left. Ojeda attempted to return the ball to his teammate, but a last-ditch clearance denied him.

The Red Bulls claimed an equalizer in the 24th minute when a rapid counter allowed Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting to square the ball to Julian Hall to slam home from close range.

New York City found the perfect response just three minutes later, however, when a speculative cross from Gustavo was wonderfully flicked high and over Coronel by Andrés Perea.

It was almost three on the half-hour mark after brilliant play by Nico Fernández down the right saw him skip by his marker and pull it back to Maxi Moralez. Unfortunately, his effort flew just over the bar.

After a chaotic first 30 minutes, the contest began to settle as half-time neared. That allowed New York City to settle into a rhythm in possession as they chased a third goal.

In first-half stoppage time, a loose ball rolled through New York City’s penalty area and forced a brave intervention from Freese to deny Choupo-Moting.

New York City once again flew out of the gates at the start of the half, but it would be the Red Bulls that found the net next through Emil Forsberg in the 47th minute.

The visitors then went close to retaking the lead ten minutes later when a curled pass from Nico Fernández found Ojeda. The winger drove outside and fired a shot across goal that fizzed just past the post.

In the 65th minute, another swing in New York City’s favor came after a dangerous free kick from Moralez was powered toward goal by Perea. Coronel was able to tip the ball onto the post, but captain Thiago Martins was there to slam it home from close range.

Jansen turned to his bench in the wake of that goal with a double change. Freese and Moralez were replaced by Tomás Romero and Julián Fernández.

Moments later, the visitors thought they had a fourth after Nico Fernández combined with Julián Fernández to put the latter through on goal. Julián Fernández’s shot was parried back to Nico Fernández, who slammed it home, only for the offside flag to deny him a second on the night.

The Red Bulls were now desperately chasing an equalizer, and Forsberg went close again with an almost identical effort to his first of the evening, only for Tayvon Gray to make a vital block and deflect it behind for a corner.

Further changes came for New York City in the 82nd minute as Kevin O’Toole replaced Aiden O’Neill. The closing stages were tense, with both teams pushing for the next goal.

Midway through ten minutes of stoppage time, Jansen made his final changes as Seymour Reid and Strahinja Tanasijević replaced Hannes Wolf and Nico Fernández.

A dangerous free kick for the Red Bulls saw Forsberg find Alexander Hack, but his goalbound header was brilliantly cleared away by a combination of O'Toole and Romero.

That intervention proved decisive, sealing a memorable 3-2 Hudson River Derby win for New York City FC.