Thiago Martins scored the tiebreaking goal into an open net in the 65th minute as visiting New York City Football Club outlasted the New York Red Bulls 3-2 on Saturday night in Harrison, N.J.
In the latest installment of the “Hudson River Rivalry,” NYCFC (17-10-5, 56 points) bounced back from Wednesday’s 4-0 loss to Inter Miami. The visitors also withstood the absence of leading scorer Alonso Martinez (leg) while holding on during 12 minutes of second-half stoppage time.
After NYCFC blew two one-goal leads, Martins tapped in a rebound after Carlos Coronel made a diving right hand save on Andres Perea’s header from the top of the box. Martins moved past numerous defenders, got the ball right outside the goal and converted the easy tap-in.
Nicolas Fernandez scored in the second minute and Andres Perea scored in the 26th for NYCFC, which lost goalkeeper Matt Freese to injury in the second half but moved past Charlotte and Miami into third in the Eastern Conference.
Julian Hall scored in the 23rd and Emil Forsberg netted the tying goal in first-half stoppage time but the Red Bulls (12-13-7, 43 points) fell to 10-3-3 at home and dropped into 10th, just out of a playoff spot.
About seven minutes into stoppage time, Forsberg had a free kick and his pass went to Alexander Hack near the net. Hack nearly sent a header into the vacated right side of the net but Kevin O’Toole cleared it away at the goal line before the ball could trickle in.
Freese finished with one save but exited in the 67th after colliding with Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting right before halftime.
Coronel made four saves.
After Justin Haak stole the ball from Wikelman Carmona, he threaded a pass for Fernandez, who drilled a left-footed shot into the bottom right corner before Tim Parker could come over.
On a counterattack, Choupo-Moting drew defenders Martins and Haak to him near the end line. Choupo-Moting moved the ball to Hall and the 17-year-old flicked in a right-footed shot by Freese.
Three minutes later, NYCFC regained the lead when Perea appeared to catch Coronel by surprise and tucked in a header from the center of the box to the top right corner. Forsberg blasted a left-footed shot into the lower left corner after Freese’s clearing attempt was intercepted.
–Field Level Media
