Rivalry between New York City FC and New York Red Bulls intensifies with playoff positioning and bragging rights in play

Arguably there hasn’t been a more important game in Hudson Derby history than Sunday (7 p.m. ET | TV & streaming info) at Yankee Stadium between New York City FC and New York Red Bulls

The 18th chapter of the intense rivalry and the 16th meeting in the regular season are the last that the teams have met in a season Thus, this edition, contested on the penultimate day of the regular season, will be for more than just the usual bragging rights The playoff positioning of both teams is also at stake

« We’ve put ourselves in a good position to fight the top four If we have two wins now, we have a good chance of doing it, » NYCFC coach Ronny Deila said during a video conference with the journalists Saturday « At the same time it’s a top six win so we have a lot of reason to fight. Of course we also want to show who’s the best in town »

Rivals are separated by mere fractions in the Eastern Conference table NYCFC is fifth at 157 points per game, while Red Bulls are sixth at 138 PPG A solid end to the season for both sides could put them in Eastern top four and at least one home game in the 2020 Audi MLS Cup playoffs A poor finish, however, could exclude them from the top six and need a play-in match to make it to the first round of the playoffs.

Now seems like a perfect time for Caden Clark to get his first glimpse of one of Major League Soccer’s fiercest rivalries

The 17-year-old, described as ‘fearless’ by interim Red Bulls coach Bradley Carnell, embraced the big moment early in his MLS career His first goal came on his debut for the Red Bulls, the only goal in a win over Atlanta United that set the club on their current five-game unbeaten streak.

A banger against Toronto FC in his next appearance was a late equalizer and placed him in the record books as the youngest player in league history to score in his first two matches It also put him in the sights of his teammates, who were anything but willing to give the young child some shtick.

“He’s pretty boring I think he’s got a big head,” defenseman Tim Parker sarcastically on Saturday “He walks into the locker room and tells all the older guys to stop talking to him. a little hard to deal with But we’re just told to let him do his thing because he’s a growing teenager, so we’re going to continue to let him go through his puberty « 

For his part, Clark said he was excited for the big scene a derby match brings

« It’s like Minnesota vs Wisconsin because that’s what I can compare it to, » the native of Medina, Minn told me « I think this is a very, very important game for us. , not only from a playoff point of view, but also with bragging rights, the reputation of this team and what we can do against a very good NYCFC team I think this is a very important game in the ‘together and of course I want to start my career with Red Bull by winning one of them in my first season »

For the NYCFC, there is a feeling of revenge after the sting of a 1-0 loss at Red Bull Arena in the only meeting this season in August Kyle Duncan scored the only goal, awarded after the video review , when his twisted shot was mismanaged by Sean Johnson, with the ball falling out of the hands of the NYCFC goaltender and towards the goal

Johnson followed and appeared to have saved him before the whole ball crossed the line But referee Allen Chapman ruled it was a goal after the video review

« We shouldn’t have lost the game We didn’t deserve to lose, » said Deila « We didn’t play really well, but we were as good as them The way we have it lost was not good We didn’t like it Of course we want to take those points back, not back, but make up for them at home It’s a game we want to win wherever we play and whenever we play « 

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