NYCFC snap nine-game long losing streak with win over rival Red Bulls
Maxi Moralez opened the scoring in the fifth minute, Alonso Martínez added two first-half goals and New York City FC beat the New York Red Bulls 5-1 Saturday night in Harrison, N.J. in the Hudson River Derby to snap a nine-game winless streak.
New York City (12-11-8) won for the first time since a 2-0 victory over CF Montreal on July 3.
Moralez stole a pass from goalkeeper Carlos Coronel and scored from near the penalty spot and Martínez outraced Andres Reyes to the ball and beat Coronel for a goal to make it 2-0 in the seventh minute.
Dante Vanzeir scored a goal in his second consecutive game to cut the Red Bulls’ deficit to 2-1 in the 28th, but Andrés Perea headed home a perfectly-placed cross played by Tayvon Gray in the 33rd minute and Martínez scored from the center of the area in the fifth minute of first-half stoppage time to make it 4-1.
NYCFC is the first team in the history of the Hudson River Derby to score four goals in a half.
Gray scored his first MLS goal to make it 5-1 in the 68th minute.
Moralez played a back-pass from near the penalty spot to a charging Gray for a one-touch finish from just outside the area.
Moralez scored his first goal since the 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs
The Red Bulls (10-7-14), who are winless in six games since returning the Leagues Cup break, had 54% possession and outshot NYCFC 14-10.