By FRANCO PANIZO
As if bragging rights were not a big enough of an incentive, both of MLS’s New York teams will have plenty more to fight for when the meet for the very first time this weekend.
The New York Red Bulls and New York City FC are set for their inaugural match against one another on Sunday at Red Bull Arena, and both clubs will eagerly be gunning for three points after some less-than-stellar results in recent weeks.
The Red Bulls are on a three-game winless run that most recently saw them suffer their first defeat of the season at the hands of the New England Revolution, while NYCFC has gone seven straight games without picking up maximum points to fall to eighth place in the Eastern Conference.
While those numbers might seem to point at the expansion club as being the team with more pressure going into this game, the Red Bulls will be playing in front of their home crowd. That will certainly be a benefit, but it also puts the onus on them to pick up the victory. Anything less could trigger an angry response from a fanbase that is still being won over following some offseason controversy.
With all that, which team do you think has more pressure going into Sunday’s showdown?
Vote in the poll after the jump:
[polldaddy poll=8849520]
Which team did you vote for? Do you the Red Bulls have more pressure since the match is in their place? How badly does NYCFC need a victory here?
Share your thoughts below.
Yuuk! 0-0 draw for these losers
That would be a great result for Sheikh Mansour FC
In the real world, both have a lot of pressure. Look at red bull, they just fired their coach for no reason and they are own by red bull. They have 2 dp spots open and nycfc is taking the league more serious than red bull ever before. We also have no idea whats going to happen with red bull next season or in the next 5 years, while nycfc in 5 years will probably have their stadium and painted ny blue.
And the reason why nycfc have pressure is simply because they are own by mancity and they have the money to overcome their problems.
At the end of the day, it should be a good game. I see nycfc winning by a goal and If cosmos fans are smart, they should buy tickets to the game and wear green and take some Cosmo tifo. Do it borough boys 🙂
No the reason NYCFC has pressure is because they are winless in 7!
See page 237,…Dealing With Pressure.
Red Bulls have the pressure, an actual team with fans who care enough to get angry. NYCFC have everything to gain because apparently they stink at soccer. Add to that their fans just found out we have soccer in the area so impressing them is likely easy.
It’ll be fun either way. Go red bulls!
Looking at the photo I can’t help but think how depressing that such an amazing American city – NYC – has such soulless un-American soccer ownership groups.
As a non New Yorker I have to support RBNY because in a bizarre twist they actually seem more authentic to the city. Those fans have been there through the trials and tribulations going back to the Metro days. And RBNY seems to have that brash chip on the shoulder mentality that is true to New York (yes even though they are in Jersey).
In NJ but closer to most of the city than Yankee Stadium.
You make this comment often but I just don’t understand how a stadium located OUTSIDE of NYC can be closer to NYC than a stadium that is located INSIDE of NYC.
Are you from the area? For instance from Hoboken you can be in Herald’s Square in 12 minutes but there are some parts of the city from which it could take 45 minutes or an hour to get to midtown. But how can that be?
RBA is in NJ but not far over the border and can be reached by train from lower Manhattan in 20 minutes. The trip from that same area to Yankee stadium by subway takes about twice as long. Areas of Brooklyn and Queens are closer to RBA than Yankee Stadium. It’s a very simple concept to understand, I’m sorry it’s apparently beyond you.
I am from the area. I like how you force a certain idea to prove a point, and then act as if I’m some kind of simpleton because I became tired of reading your same invalid argument, over and over again.
The ‘simple concept’ here is that Yankee Stadium is located within the borders of New York City, while RBA is not located within the borders of NYC or even New York State. This is a fact that cannot be disputed.
I suppose that if all you are concerned about is trying to convince people that your opinions are more valid than anyone else’s, that it’s ok to use skewed data to reach your conclusions. So yes, it is very likely that it’s possible to get to RBA from lower Manhattan faster than it would be to go to Yankees Stadium.
Since when is one single area considered ‘most’?
If I live in the Bronx, I can certainly get to Yankee stadium faster. If I live in upper Manhattan, I can get to Yankee stadium faster. If I live in midtown, I can get to Yankee stadium faster. Seems to me that my 3 examples would be more appropriately described as ‘most of Manhattan’ than your one area.
Sorry if I have oversimplified this. You’ll have to excuse me because I’m clearly not capable of understanding anything other than simple concepts.
Hoping for some human-rights themed tifo
Maybe a big pair of blood-stained hands wearing a pale blue shirt
Red Bull Arena has all the pressure. They may not know how to manage a full house.
RBNY attendance is weak but they usually have a few sellouts per year. Good luck driving out of Harrison though!
Would be funny if some Cosmos fans bought tickets and unveiled a large banner/tifo in the stands.
I could see that happening if the Cosmos had fans.
Red Bulls win….NYCFC wont know what to do on a real soccer field…
But the Red Bulls won’t know how to play in front of that many fans in their home arena.
That,…is very funny!