The first matchup between the Red Bulls and NYC FC "lived up to the hype," as the "crackling environment befitted the inaugural match of the derby, one that MLS hopes will become a classic," according to Laura Albanese of NEWSDAY. The 25,217 in attendance at Red Bull Arena, which included a "small but boisterous NYC FC contingent," marked the 15th sellout in Red Bulls history (NEWSDAY, 5/11). In N.Y., Stefan Bondy notes the Red Bulls "allotted 1,300 tickets" for NYC FC fans, and those upper-deck seats "were quickly sold" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 5/11). NYC FC coach Jason Kreis: "Incredible atmosphere." In N.Y., David Waldstein reports while the game was an announced sellout, there were "empty seats dotted throughout" the stadium (N.Y. TIMES, 5/11). Also in N.Y., Brian Lewis notes NYC FC "spent all week downplaying their first clash with the Red Bulls," but the hosts "openly talked about having to win for their supporters, about needing to beat their rivals no matter what." Before the "raucous sellout crowd," the Red Bulls "backed that up" with a victory (N.Y. POST, 5/11). The POST's Tim Bontemps writes it "certainly felt like a rivalry in the moments leading up to kickoff, with both teams’ fans doing their best to make more noise than the other." Red Bulls fans unfurled "a massive banner in front of their supporters’ section that read, '20 years late and a stadium short'" (N.Y. POST, 5/11). Red Bulls MF Dax McCarty called it "one of the best atmospheres I’ve ever seen" at the Arena. SI.com's Alexander Abnos writes, "No matter how much people want to say it isn’t a rivalry, you could feel that it was a really big game" (SI.com, 5/11). The DAILY NEWS' Bondy writes the game "had the makings of a real rivalry." But both teams "have to be good for this to gain some traction," and NYC FC "currently stinks" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 5/11).
