Red Bull New York head coach Michael Bradley will take charge of his first Hudson River Derby in an emotionally charged meeting with New York City FC in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 on Wednesday.
With a place in the quarterfinals on the line, Bradley is instructing his players to lay it all on the line against Red Bull’s bitter rivals.
“When you get to play in the biggest games with everything on the line, my message is always to enjoy every second,” Bradley said during Tuesday’s pre-match press conference. “And to not spend two seconds worried about what if this or what if that. We want a team on the field that is ready to go after every single play from start to finish.
“We’re very, very excited – big cup game, derby. I think at this point in the season, it’s the perfect game and the perfect time. So we’re really excited to step on the field and play a big game, test ourselves against a good team, and really, really go after things.”
Red Bull New York and NYCFC Renew Rivalry in High-Stakes U.S. Open Cup Knockout Match
NYCFC currently sits four places above the Red Bulls in the Eastern Conference standings, but the Pigeons have failed to win a league match in their last six times out. That said, recent form won’t matter when these heated rivals square off under the lights of Sports Illustrated Stadium on Wednesday night in a knockout match.
“They’re a good team,” Bradley said of NYCFC. “They have good players. They have interesting ideas, certain ideas that are similar to ours, but obviously their own style, for sure.
“It’s in my eyes, two good teams that want to put the game on their terms, two good teams that want to play football, two good teams that want to attack and score goals.”
Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty: ‘We’re Ready for It’
Red Bull New York defender Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty will also be playing in his first Hudson River Derby.
The 21-year-old right-back has started all 10 MLS matches this season under Bradley and played 90 minutes in the previous round of the U.S. Open Cup against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC.
“I played in some derbies in the MLS before, but I know this one’s important, not just for the fans, but for us,” he said on Tuesday. “It’s a real chance to win a trophy in the Open Cup. So we’re coming into this game, and we’re taking it very serious, and obviously, it’s a derby as well.
“I think that’s motivational for itself. The Hudson River Derby is a big game. We’re all ready for it, and we’re excited, for sure, for the opportunity.”
Heading into Wednesday’s meeting, Red Bull New York owns the series advantage against NYCFC with a 16-12-4 record across all competitions.
The Red Bulls have not lost to NYCFC in an elimination match, going 5-0-0 including a 2-0 victory in the 2024 MLS Cup playoffs Conference semifinals at Citi Field.
Red Bull New York possesses a perfect 5-0-0 all-time record against NYCFC in elimination matches, including three U.S. Open Cup victories over their rivals. The Red Bulls are yet to concede a goal against the Pigeons in a knockout fixture.
Marshall-Rutty and his teammates are looking to use Wednesday’s showdown as a springboard for greater things.
“We want to win MLS Cup,” he stated. “We want to make the playoffs, but this is also another trophy that we can win, and at home in a derby. So you know, that’s motivation for itself. We’re all excited, and we all know our goal, and that’s to bring as many trophies as we can each season, and this is one that’s in front of us, so we’re all ready.”
Emil Forsberg, Julian Hall Will Be Key if the Red Bulls Are To Advance
Captain Emil Forsberg will, as always, be a key figure who can sway the match through his creativity, ability to operate in tight spaces and unleash venomous long shots.
The 34-year-old midfielder has thrived at home so far this season with four goal contributions in his last three appearances.
Veteran Red Bulls striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting was set to start in Saturday’s 2-0 away defeat to FC Cincinnati but was pulled out of the lineup late due to illness.
“Choupo is feeling better,” Bradley said. “We’ve had him back in training. We think he’s trending in a good direction.”
Teenage striker Julian Hall has thrived with added responsibility, with Choupo-Moting being asked to play a limited role this season. Hall has scored eight goals in 11 appearances combined between MLS and U.S. Open Cup duty.
NYCFC Enter Derby Searching for Form but Still Carry Threat
Nicolas Fernandez has been in electric form for NYCFC, having scored eight goals through 10 MLS matches.
Alonso Martínez, Hannes Wolf, Drew Baiera and Max Murray all missed NYCFC’s 1-0 away defeat to CF Montréal on Saturday due to leg injuries.
Wednesday’s match will kick off at 7 p.m. Eastern time, and the latest installment of the Hudson River Derby will surely have its share of dramatic moments, high-charged incidents and two teams giving it all for their respective crests.
Whoever comes out on top will compete in the quarterfinals held on May 19 or May 20.
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