Corner kicks and goals: NYCFC finally beats Red Bulls in U.S. Open Cup | OneFootball

On Wednesday evening, New York City FC traveled across the river for a Hudson River Derby in the U.S. Open Cup. The Pigeons were hoping to use the game to get back on track in the Major League Soccer season, in which they are winless in the last six matches. They also wanted to win another Open Cup match and beat the New York Red Bulls in the tournament for the first time. And guess what?  Thanks to some unlikely scorers, NYCFC won 3-1.

The stadium was not as packed as a normal Hudson River Derby, even when it was at Sports Illustrated Stadium.  It was not shocking, for the weather was gloomy and a little chilly.  It was also a midweek fixture.

Nevertheless, that meant it was not a highly populated red-leaning crowd.  That was one less thing for NYCFC to deal with, but the teams are somewhat equal in their performances and the MLS records.  That is why it was expected to be an even derby, and mostly, it was.  It was also a typical derby with tension, ferocity, and mutual hatred.

NYCFC came out ready to play before the Red Bulls dominated the possession throughout the first half.  Before that happened, the Pigeons scored first in the Round of 16 game.

NYCFC secures U.S. Open Cup win over RBNY

In the ninth minute, the blue side had a corner kick that Maxi Moralez took.  The Argentine swung the ball into the box, and this year’s Australian signing, Kai Trewin, made contact.  He headed the ball toward the goal and watched it bounce beyond the Red Bull’s goalkeeper, John McCarthy. This was his first goal for NYCFC.

However, that lead did not last long.  Raul Gustavo, who was signed with the belief that he could be a starter last summer, has been lackluster in 2026.  He has led to goals allowed before, and sometimes has miscommunication issues.  And five minutes after his teammate scored, the Brazilian was fully responsible for the Red Bulls’ goal.

The home side had a counterattack, and Cade Cowell made a great run down the right wing.  The Bronx side’s backline was spread out, leaving space in front of the goal for Julian Hall.  With Gustavo drawn out to his left, the ball was sent to Hall, who only had to deal with Matt Freese.  He scored a striker’s goal and put the ball over Freese, who was angered once again.  And he had every right, for Gustavo and Thiago Martins left him vulnerable.

Alas, the Brazilian eventually redeemed himself toward the end of the first half.  In the 39th minute, NYCFC had a corner kick that Moralez again took.  The midfielder put in a perfect ball, and this time, Gustavo powerfully headed the ball to the right side of the goal.  McCarthy could not even attempt a save since he was on the other side of the goal. And like Trewin, this was his first goal for the Boys in Blue.

Plus, that was now two goals from corner kicks by unlikely scorers, and both players are defensive players.  However, the team that actually plays in New York was not done with the corner kicks.  In the 57th minute, Moralez again provided the ball into the box via a corner kick.  This time, he found the captain, Martins, who, like his fellow defensive players, headed the ball into the goal.  His goal was even harder, for he sent the ball into the right side while running to the left.

Usually, NYCFC is not the most threatening from corner kicks, so scoring three was insane.  But it also shows how poor RBNY was at defending the set pieces.  Moralez also was accurate with getting the ball into the box to a teammate.  In complete honesty, he was brilliant from the corner all night long.

Of course, if the Round of 16 had VAR, then it is entirely possible this game would have been different.  Moralez tripped a player in the box when the score was 1-1 after he was possibly fouled, and if there was a review, the veteran would probably have been sent off.  At a minimum, it would have been a penalty kick.  So in this way, NYCFC is lucky that he was able to stay on and produce the three assists.

Thankfully, that did not occur.  The Pigeons were threatening from set pieces, especially the corner kicks.  More importantly, they did not break down toward the end of the game.  After Martins’ goal, the team held on and kept the lead.  And, it was the first time NYCFC won a derby knockout match.

Ideally, this will be the spark that brings an end to the MLS winless streak.  The Red Bulls might have dominated in possession, especially during those first 45 minutes.  However, this was an equal game when it came to the attack.  The difference can be seen via the score, and now, NYCFC is back in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup.