NYCFC won first MLS Hudson River Derby 2017
NYCFC won at Red Bull Arena for the first time in Club history, triumphing in the first MLS Hudson River Derby of 2017, thanks to goals from Jack Harrison and Ben Sweat.
Harrison opened the scoring with a stunning curling strike on 33’ before Sweat headed home his first MLS goal on 66’ to sink the dagger into Red Bulls. That leaves the boys in blue with a 9-5-3 record through 17.
Highlights: Chasing a first-ever win at Red Bull Arena, Patrick Vieira named the same XI which recovered a deficit to defeat Seattle at Yankee Stadium a week ago.
That meant Yangel Herrera made his Hudson River Derby debut in the midfield engine room and he set about immediately showing fans what they missed in the Open Cup loss, dominating the center third in tandem with Alex Ring from the off.
Following a typically charged opening 15 minutes, Jack Harrison was first to go close for either team, forcing a great save from Luis Robles with a curled effort which was destined for the upper 90 until the keepers’ intervention.
Daniel Royer, who scored the winning goal in that Open Cup meeting ten days previously, went close with a towering header off a corner on 26’ but just a few minutes later, Vieira’s men were ahead and it was a special one.
Ben Sweat was picked out by Alex Ring unmarked on the left flank and the Floridian pulled it back for Harrison who did the rest.
Taking the cut-back on his instep, Jack produced a stunning first-time, arcing shot into the top corner, leaving Robles grasping at thin air.
Imbued with confidence, NYCFC pressed on for a second and they very nearly had it three minutes before the interval when Villa brilliantly teed up Herrera but the Venezuelan’s thunderbolt was tipped over by Robles.
Herrera picked up where he left off in the second half, bringing the best out of Robles with a clever snapshot which was pushed wide.
With the boys in blue still in control on the hour, Red Bulls boss Jesse Marsch sent on Gonzalo Veron and Sal Zizzo to try and rescue the game but it was NYCFC who put the game beyond the hosts by doubling their advantage through an unlikely source.
Ring’s free-kick was perfect, finding the head of Sweat who looped his header over Robles and into the far corner for his first MLS goal – what a time to score it!
Red Bulls’ pushed for a response but NYCFC always looked in control and held on for the three points and the local bragging rights.
It was no less than Vieira’s men deserved.
Key Moment
NYCFC had never taken the lead at Red Bull Arena until Harrison’s stunning opener in Harrison.
It was a free-flowing team move including Ring and Sweat which paved the way for his brilliant strike which left Robles with zero chance.
His seventh goal of the season, it continued Jack’s hugely impressive Sophomore season, building upon a campaign which earned him a nomination for Rookie of the Year in 2016.
Man of the Match
Yangel Herrera
It didn’t take long for the Venezuelan U20 World Cup captain to show what NYCFC had been missing in the Open Cup defeat at Red Bull Arena.
Yangel Herrera was outstanding in his seventh appearance for the club, dominating the midfield battleground with a turf-consuming display which saw him win tackles and aerial duels, as well as keeping the ball moving and getting forward to dictate attacking moves.
Tyler Adams certainly had his hands full with Herrera, resorting to fouls on numerous occasions to try and get a handle on his counterpart.
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