NYCFC celebrated a convincing 5-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls in the Hudson River Derby, putting an end to their nine-game winless streak. The match was ignited by Maxi Moralez who opened the scoring just five minutes into the game. Alonso Martínez quickly followed suit with two goals in the first half, propelling New York City to a 2-0 lead.
Dante Vanzeir managed to pull one back for the Red Bulls in the 28th minute, shrinking the deficit to 2-1. However, NYCFC responded emphatically with Andrés Perea heading home a well-placed cross by Tayvon Gray, and Martínez adding another goal just before halftime, extending their lead to 4-1.
The second half saw NYCFC continuing their dominance, with Gray scoring his first MLS goal in the 68th minute, securing a resounding 5-1 win. Moralez shined throughout the game, not only scoring but also setting up Gray for his goal with a precise back-pass.
This victory marked the first win for New York City since their 2-0 triumph over CF Montreal back in July. They made history in the Hudson River Derby by becoming the first team to score four goals in a single half. Despite the Red Bulls’ efforts, which included controlling 54% of possession and outshooting NYCFC 14-10, they were unable to overcome their opponent’s dominant performance.
Moralez’s goal in this game was his first since the 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs, further adding to the significance of NYCFC’s victory in the rivalry matchup. The Red Bulls, on the other hand, continued their struggles by extending their winless streak to six games following the Leagues Cup break.