Red Bulls knock out NYCFC to reach MLS Eastern Conference Finals

The Red Bulls finally picked up a win over New York City FC when it mattered the most.After the Red Bulls failed to get a win over their archrival during the regular season, the club managed to score twice in the first half, toppling NYCFC, 2-0, in the Eastern Conference Semifinals on Saturday at Citi Field.The victory punches the Red Bulls’ ticket to the conference finals for the first time since 2018. The New York-New York meeting was the first time the area’s two MLS clubs battled one another in the postseason, and it marked the first time in more than a year that the Red Bulls have held their city counterparts scoreless. Dante Vanzeir scored a goal and recorded an assist in the victory, while Felipe Carballo found the back of the net for his second goal of the postseason. New York’s first Hudson River Derby in the playoffs didn’t quite live up to the hype that preceded the rivalry showdown, with the Red Bulls jumping to an early lead and NYCFC only putting up a handful of dangerous chances.

And, at times, a frustrated NYCFC club played sloppily after it fell behind. The Red Bulls found the back of the net in the 16th minute when Carballo fired a blistering shot from roughly 35 yards out that went over a leaping Matt Freese.Red Bulls keeper Carlos Coronel kicked the ball deep into NYCFC territory, and it landed at the feet of Carballo, who took the deep shot. City came close to evening the score in the 22nd minute when Alonso Martinez attempted a bicycle kick that clipped a Red Bulls defender, which allowed Coronel to make the save.

The rebound went back to Martinez, who fired the ball back on net, but Coronel came up with the second stop. The missed opportunity proved costly for NYCFC, as the Red Bulls buried their second goal of the night three minutes later. A corner kick by Red Bulls star Emil Forsberg found Vanzeir inside the box, and he was able to boot the ball home to extend his team’s lead to 2-0 in the 25th minute.The Red Bulls’ def...