NYCFC falls 1-0 to Red Bulls in first Hudson River Derby of 2023
Courtesy: NYCFC
By Chris Tsakonas
New York City FC’s road struggles continue, as the Red Bulls came away with a 1-0 victory in the first Hudson River Derby of 2023. Omir Fernandez scored the game winner in the 76th minute in a match that saw both teams combine for just 0.6 expected goals.
Both sides struggled to gain a foothold in the final third in the opening minutes of the match, with the Red Bulls coming up with the only shot on goal in the first 20 minutes.
New York City FC gradually gained a rhythm in the Red Bull half of the field. In the 31st minute, Gabriel Pereira got their first shot of the match on a dangerous shot from the edge of the 18 that only narrowly missed wide. Talles Magno got a clean look at goal in the 39th minute, but he hit it right at Red Bulls keeper Carlos Coronel. It would end up being the only shot on goal of the entire match for NYCFC.
“Getting from our goal to over the halfway line is probably the strongest part of our game. We get there regularly,” head coach Nick Cushing said after the match. “Getting the ball from the hallway line into the goal is the area where we need to improve.”
The second half started much as the first half did, with neither side recording a shot in the first 18 minutes of the second half. The Red Bulls created the first opportunity in the 64th minute, when a powerful drive from Wiki Carmona forced Luis Barraza into the save.
The Red Bulls would break through in the 76th minute, when a shot from Omir Fernandez at the top of the box was deflected into the back of the net for the go-ahead goal.
NYCFC had a golden opportunity to equalize off a set piece, as Gabriel Pereira sent a free kick cross into the area - only for Magno to hit the right post on the shot. It was the last good opportunity New York City would see in the match.
With the club mired in a four match winless streak across all competitions, New York City FC now have a short turnaround before they return to the pitch on Wednesday night at Orlando City SC.
“The results are not the results that we want to call our standards, our expectations are really high,” Cushing said. “I take full responsibility for the results, and we'll continue to work with this group.”