Red Bulls vs. NYCFC proved MLS's point about need for second N.Y. team

For years, Major League Soccer insisted that it needed to have a second franchise in the greater New York City area. There was no arguing that the market was big enough to support two teams, even if the incumbent New York Red Bulls have often struggled for traction. But the league’s other assertion – that a natural rivalry would help energize New York, both teams and the entire league – seemed a tad tenuous.

The fevered search for a second team – the New York Cosmos looked like the favorites for a while; and then the Mets-owning Wilpon family did until Bernie Madoff nearly ruined them – seemed sort of aspirational. Like MLS believed it needed to have two New York teams because that’s just what major American sports leagues did. They all had two – except for the NHL, which has three. So they had to have two as well, just because.

Still they persisted, eventually awarding Manchester City and the New York Yankees the franchise jointly – named New York City FC – even though its stadium deal hadn’t been locked up yet. When it fell through after the team was awarded, it left all sides scurrying awkwardly for a solution. The answer would be Yankee Stadium, which was hardly the ideal venue for soccer, and felt (and indeed feels) like a step back for American pro soccer.

On Sunday, at length, the Red Bulls and NYCFC first faced each other. And on the evidence of that long-anticipated evening, MLS may have been onto something all along.

The Red Bull fans, defending their home Arena, lifted a banner before kickoff.

Then materialized another tifo, depicting a dwarf in an oversized "Man City Lite" jersey, below the caption, "20 years late; and a stadium short."

When the players marched onto the field, a big NYRB flag covered the center circle. Beside it, smaller ones read "1996-2015" and "20 seasons." While that’s merely meant to celebrate the club’s two-decade anniversary – although it was born as the New York/New Jersey MetroStars – it also seems to drive home a point to their nascent rivals none too subtly. Hey, you’re new here. You may have signed David Villa and Frank Lampard and made all kinds of noise. But this is our town and has been for a long time. So pipe down.

The game itself only served to underscore that the Red Bulls, after years of struggles, had the league’s best regular season record two seasons ago and came within a goal of MLS Cup last year. Thierry Henry may have retired, Tim Cahill happens to be gone and Mike Petke is no longer the coach – to the consternation of the hardcore – but Jesse Marsch and his team (a novel notion in this franchise’s existence) are doing just fine, thank you. They can handle a loudmouthed expansion club.

It took just four minutes for Lloyd Sam to jink and juke his way to the back line and lift the ball to a wide-open Bradley Wright-Phillips – the man who tied the league’s single-season scoring record just last season. BWP, left incomprehensibly unmarked, volleyed home from point-blank range to take the lead, and the early goal made for a frenetic and furious and physical game.

NYCFC almost got a reply in the 20th minute, but Chris Wingert had floated offside on the free kick that found him at the back post. But from there on, red mostly prevailed over blue.

NYCFC goalkeeper Josh Saunders had to make a series of fine saves to prevent the score from running up. And when Sam did manage to round him, early in the second half, his defense bailed him out, saving the effort off the line. By then, Matt Miazga, Red Bull’s 19-year-old homegrown starlet in central defense, had long since gotten himself sent off with a second yellow card. (And no matter how much he moaned about them, both were totally valid.)

Soon enough, Sachka Kljestan broke away on the left on a counter, was found by Sam, squared for Wright-Phillips and watched the Englishman put away what would prove to be the game-winner.

Patrick Mullins would sweep home on the sharp, low cross from RJ Allen with a quarter of an hour to play, but 2-1 to the home team it would end. And their win never much seemed in danger.

But what happened on the field was really only part of the story. The frenzied mood in the stands, the noise and the taunts and the genuine concern for the outcome were what mattered.

"When you were running back and forth it felt like MLS Cup, to be honest," Red Bull captain Dax McCarty said. "It was amazing."

There was elation for the home team and crowd after the final whistle, with their fans sticking around to sing and chant well after the game. There was drama, too, with NYCFC manager Jason Kreis calling out his two star players, Villa and playmaker Mix Diskerud, both of whom made little impressions and were substituted early.

"I think David was a little frustrated on the night," Kreis said.

"I think Mix was just not that great," he added. "I thought he was kind of in and around things and not making plays."

Such internal strife from their new cross-town rivals would have sounded like music to the Red Bull fans’ ears.

Just as the entire night carried the sweet tune of vindication for the league.

Leander Schaerlaeckens is a soccer columnist for Yahoo Sports. Follow him on Twitter @LeanderAlphabet.