New York City FC enjoyed a memorable 5-1 win against the Red Bulls in the Hudson River Derby.
A brace from Alonso Martínez, along with goals from Maxi Moralez, Andrés Perea, and Tayvon Gray (his first for the Club) saw City enjoy their biggest ever win against their local rivals.
Here are Five Points from the game...
Centurion
Maxi Moralez kicked off the scoring for City on the night and finished the match by reaching a personal milestone.
Moralez now has 100 goal involvements for City, a moment that only enhanced his legendary status with the team.
The Little Magician brought all of his guile and experience to Red Bull Arena on Saturday, showing composure and class to find the net after five minutes.
Moralez often controlled the tempo of the game and knew when to move the ball quickly and when to slow it down. He created a brilliant chance for Alonso Martínez in the second half, before getting an assist via a smart pass to Tayvon Gray on the edge of the box.
A man for the big occasion, it felt somewhat fitting that Moralez broke into triple digits for goal involvements during the Hudson River Derby in what was City’s biggest win against the Red Bulls.
Tayvon Scores
It was a big night for New York City FC’s fullbacks.
Both Tayvon Gray and Kevin O’Toole notched assists in the first half to put City 4-1 up after 45 minutes. Their involvement only grew in the second period, as Gray notched his first goal for the Club in the 67th minute.
Gray is having a standout season in the final third. Saturday’s cross for Andrés Perea’s goal was his seventh assist in 2024.
His goal, a well-taken strike from the edge of the area with his weaker foot, spoke of a player eager to contribute in the final third.
The Jamaican international was all smiles after the game and rightly so.
“I had a chance in the first half and I passed to Maxi inside,” Gray said. “That was in my head, like I should have took a shot, I should have took a shot. Then the second chance came and I thought I can’t pass that up, I’ve just got to hit it.”
Goalonzo Martínez
The Costa Rican international notched his 13th and 14th goals in MLS against the Red Bulls on Saturday.
While the two strikes differed in how they arrived, they were both prime examples of Martínez’s soccer IQ and ability to sniff out an opportunity before it arrives.
For his first goal, Martínez intercepted a poor back pass intended for Carlos Coronel. He still had a lot to do to score, and after escaping his defender produced an expert finish into the bottom corner.
He would smash an effort against the crossbar not long after that before claiming a second goal in first-half stoppage time.
The move was initiated thanks to a clever pass on the left from Keaton Parks that allowed Kevin O’Toole to drive toward the penalty area and fire a cross in.
Although Martínez points to the space in front of him, he reads O’Toole’s intention and stops his run. That allows him the space and time to take a first touch before slamming the ball past Carlos Coronel.
He may be somewhat disappointed he did not add a third in the second half, but his run for that chance again showed why Martínez is such a threat.
His pace, awareness, and composure make him a constant threat in the final third and were vital in City recording a big win against the Red Bulls.
History Made
City have won previously at Red Bull Arena. They have also done a regular season double over their Hudson River Derby rivals.
They had not however won by a scoreline as big as 5-1. It gave Nick Cushing tremendous pride to take the trophy across the pitch and let the players raise it in front of the allocation of traveling fans.
“For me, to deliver this trophy that is about the fans, for the fans, after not winning it last year, it was everything for me,” Cushing said.
“This game was almost like a final for me. I wanted to walk away delivering that trophy for our supporters because they are the most important people in this football club.
“There is a fire inside me that I will use every day on the training pitch, every moment with our players, and in every game to try and deliver for New York City Football Club and for all those people that are at home [watching] and up in the top [of Red Bull Arena] there. That is why I wanted to celebrate with them.”
Teamwork
One of the most pleasing aspects of Saturday’s performance was how every player was dialed in from the first whistle.
To a man, the players stepped up and matched technical quality with heart and determination to leave their opposition shell-shocked after just ten minutes.
“We asked for the team to bring what you need in a derby, energy, fight, and inspiration,” Nick Cushing said.
Those qualities came together to produce a sense of harmony that presented itself early on with City’s well-coordinated pressing. Teammates covered for each other until City could win the ball back, at which point neat interchanges helped them build through the thirds and create goal-scoring opportunities.
The show of character from the team was equally as impressive. They were not overawed by the challenge of a road game at Red Bull Arena, and when the hosts found the net through Dante Vanzeir, City found the perfect response in the form of Andrés Perea’s bullet header. That togetherness was mirrored in the stands, where fans sang throughout the game, pushing the players, and creating a memorable atmosphere.
Nick Cushing said afterward that he asked his players to ‘play like New York’ and on Saturday they most certainly did – that approach delivering a famous derby win in the process.
