The Hudson River derby finds its way into the Leagues Cup! Catch the Leagues Cup series with our New York Red Bulls-New York City FC odds, prediction, pick, and how to watch.
In the first group stage encounter, the New York Red Bulls secured a victory over the New England Revolution on penalties, and in the second match, they beat Atletico de San Luis 2-1. As the first seed in East 4, the Metro is eager to continue their winning streak and aim for a favorable result in the upcoming match.
New York City FC had a shaky start, suffering a 1-0 defeat against Atlas FC in their first match. However, the Pigeons quickly bounced back in the second match with an impressive 5-0 victory over Toronto FC. The Boys in Blue are determined to bring down their rivals in what promises to be an exciting match.
Here are the New York Red Bulls-New York City FC soccer odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
Leagues Cup Odds: New York Red Bulls-New York City FC Odds
New York Red Bulls: +120
New York City FC: +230
Draw: +195
Over 2.5 Goals: +124
Under 2.5 Goals: -174
How to Watch New York Red Bulls vs. New York City FC
TV: N/A
Stream: MLS Season Pass, Apple TV
Time: 8 PM ET/ 5 PM PT
Subscribe now to MLS Season Pass and watch every match including the playoffs on Apple TV.
Why New York Red Bulls Can Beat New York City FC
The first half of the Major League Soccer (MLS) season has been subpar for New York Red Bulls. The club entered the break with three losses in five games and is placed 11th in the Eastern Conference. The side experienced back-to-back losses for the first time this season in the last two MLS fixtures before the break but have bounced back well in the Leagues Cup. They finished at the top of their group and are looking to extend their winning streak.
In the group stage, the Red Bulls finished atop East Group 4 over the New England Revolution and Atlético San Luis. They were held to a goalless draw by New England in their first game but prevailed 4-2 on penalties to earn two points before seeing off San Luis 2-1 in their next game. The game also saw a 92nd-minute winner from Dante Vanzeir, who ensured that his side reached the knockouts by winning the group. It was their first win in four games across all competitions.
At home this season, the Red Bulls have proved virtually impenetrable. Through 12 MLS fixtures at Red Bull Arena, they’ve surrendered only 9.4 expected goals, the best mark in the Eastern Conference. However, New York Red Bulls are scoring way too rarely these days. If coach Troy Lesesne wants to maintain his perfect record versus New York City, he’ll have to urge his boys to do better when it comes to taking the goalkeeper one-on-one. After all, the Bulls scored only 22 games in MLS this season. The Metro will look to build on that with a win in the Hudson River derby.
While the attackers and midfielders are taking a little time to settle in, quite a lot of attacks have come down the left flank for New York Red Bulls. John Tolkin has been responsible for almost all these attacks. The left-back has nabbed four assists in 16 appearances in the MLS. Additionally, the 21-year-old assisted both goals in the last match and was stellar in the first one against New England Revolution as well. To bolster their attack, New York Red Bull roped in Dante Vanzeir from Union St. Gilloise in February this year. However, since his arrival, the striker has failed to score regularly. So far, he has made 15 appearances in the MLS and scored just twice.
Why New York City FC Can Beat New York Red Bulls
Despite finishing third in the league last season, the Pigeons have been inconsistent and currently rank 13th in the Eastern Conference, level on points with their arch-rivals. Here in the Leagues Cup, NYCFC secured the second spot in East Group 3, following Atlas but ahead of Toronto FC.
Although they lacked attacking prowess in Major League Soccer, coach Cushing's team demonstrated their potency in this tourney. In their first Leagues Cup game, New York City FC suffered a 1-0 defeat to Mexican side Atlas. However, they bounced back strongly and crushed Toronto 5-0 in the subsequent match to secure their spot in the Round of 32. Maxime Chanot, Monsef Bakrar, and Andres Jasson were on the scoresheet, along with Santiago Rodriguez netting a brace.
It hasn't been too long since New York City FC tasted victory on enemy territory. In the previous MLS season, former striker Valentin Castellanos scored the sole goal of the match in the 69th minute, leading the visitors to a significant win. The Bronx Blues also secured the league double last season, which also involved a 2-0 win on their home turf.
Coach Nick Cushing can rely on the goal-scoring abilities of Santiago Rodriguez, a 23-year-old attacking midfielder who scored a brilliant brace against Toronto last week, making him one of the top scorers in this year's Leagues Cup tournament. Furthermore, he has also netted four goals for New York City FC in Major League Soccer.
New York City FC strengthened their squad with the temporary addition of PSV Eindhoven midfielder Richard Ledezma, who joined the team on loan in March of this year. Since then, Ledezma has made 18 appearances in the league, impressing with his incredible versatility. He has been deployed as a striker, yet the 22-year-old has also emerged as the club's leading assist provider, contributing four assists in the MLS.
In goalkeeping, 24-year-old Matt Freese put on a remarkable performance, securing a clean sheet with a passing accuracy of 92 percent, making four recoveries, and producing a decent save from a shot taken inside the box. It is expected that Freese will start in the upcoming derby match.
Final New York Red Bulls-New York City FC Prediction & Pick
The Hudson River derby is expected to be a high-scoring one. With their group domination, the Red Bulls might edge out the Pigeons here by a small margin.
Final New York Red Bulls-New York City FC Prediction & Pick: New York Red Bulls (+120), Over 2.5 goals (+124)
Follow Us
Subscribe