New York City FC wins the Hudson River Derby and sets sights on the Playoffs

New York City FC had back-to-back challenges in the final push for playoff spots. Three games against direct rivals left little to no room for mistakes if they wanted to secure a top 4 finish. Things never go as planned, but luckily, the draw against Inter Miami seemed to be the turning point that the team needed to get back on track and prolong their season. The next challenge, you ask? The Hudson River Derby against the New York Red Bulls.

While all Derby games are special, the fixture on Saturday had more than bragging rights on the line. A win for either team would secure a place in the playoffs with the combination of other results. In addition, it would give the winner a chance to control the 4th spot that's currently in play between the teams in the Eastern Conference.

The momentum was with New York City FC, but given their record this season they can also be their own worst enemy. Thankfully they debunked that claim on Saturday night by putting another great performance against the city rivals. While a win was expected, nobody was prepared for what we were about to see in the next 90 minutes. Especially knowing that New York City was not going to count with a key piece in the attacking third.

The first change was the switch in formation, one that would integrate the defensive midfielder into the midfield without having to improvise positions with players. Knowing that the midfield is the core of this team, Andres Perea needed to give the squad the same vision that Santiago Rodriguez had provided. Trusting Justin Haak to be the perfect partner for Thiago Martins was also key to the manager's plan.

I may sound like a broken record, but momentum was going to be the decisive factor in the match. One of the first signs came in the 5th minute. The Red Bulls goalkeeper, Carlos Coronel, was unable to have a clear outing from the back and gave a misplaced pass directly at Maxi Moralez. The New York City FC legend capitalized on the opportunity and opened the score. The 'Red Bulls' would make another costly mistake with a back pass from the midfield. It was enough for Alonso Martinez to beat his mark and score the second goal for the 'Boys in Blue.'

A perfect long ball from James Sands to Martinez would have sealed the game for New York City within 10 minutes. His shot hit the post and kept the match open. Had he found the net, it would have been the fastest hat trick in the Hudson River Derby.

The Red Bulls would pull one back through Dante Vanzeir in the 28th minute after a follow-up cross found him with enough space to beat Matt Freece. It was the response that the hosts needed; many would have said game on, but the Boys in Blue kept their composure and continued the attack with a high press. It was Trayvon Gray who placed the ball inside the Red Bull's box to find Andres Perea for the third goal of the night. New York City FC capitalized on the stoppage time before halftime to make it 4-1. Kevin O'Toole crossed the ball into the box and found Martinez with space between two defenders to practically seal the game for the visitors.

The Red Bulls picked up where they left off and continued to test Matt Freece. Cameron Harper had a close-range shot, but Freece responded with a great save. There was no way past the New York City backline if not for crosses or set pieces. Thiago Martins had a near-perfect game defensively. James Sands was nowhere near the version that we saw when he played as a defensive midfielder. In addition, Alonso Martinez could have ended with a hat trick had his chip to the goalkeeper been aimed correctly.

A combination between Maxi, O'Toole, and Trayvon Gray sealed the game for New York City in the 67th minute. Tayvon's low post shot was enough to beat Coronel and make it 5 for the visitors. Unfortunately, the Red Bulls never recovered from the mistakes early on in the game and were dominated by New York City from start to finish.

The scoreboard might reflect what both New York teams are currently going through. On one side you have a team with confidence and determination to go as far as possible. The other looks confused and waits for the season to conclude so they can regroup. Despite the result, however, both teams have qualified for the playoffs thanks to a combination of results.

New York City FC ended the night with important milestones against the rival. Manager Nick Cushing completed his 100th game in charge. Tayvon Gray scored his first goal with New York City FC. In addition, The 5-1 win is the first one with such a high margin this season. The team now looks ahead to the match on Wednesday against FC Cincinnati. A complicated fixture, but knowing Alonso Martinez has 15 goals this season could be the secret weapon to stop them in their tracks.