This weekend’s DC United v. New York Red Bulls clash continued one of the oldest rivalries in Major League Soccer. Fans know that the league has its share of rivalry cups that range from in state rivalries (California Clasico, SuperClasico, Texas Derby) to regional rivalries (Cascadia Cup, Rocky Mountain Cup, 401 Derby) to even one derby created due to similar team names (the Brimstone Cup between FC Dallas and Chicago Fire, instituted when FC Dallas was known as the Dallas Burn); the only one that pits two original MLS teams against each other is the Atlantic Cup, which has been officially contested since 2002 between DC United and the New York Red Bulls. The Atlantic Cup may have been established in 2002 by supporter groups of both teams, however, the rivalry dates back to the inaugural 1996 MLS season when the two teams met 7 times during the season, including a historic 3 game playoff series won by DC United en route to becoming the league’s first champions.
The Beginning
The 1996 MLS season introduced a new first division professional soccer league and it’s original 10 franchises to American sports fans. While each of the ten teams was provided with the same opportunity (2 national team players, 2 foreign players, an inaugural player draft, a college draft and a supplemental draft), the league may have skewed towards wanting a successful franchise in New York, according to Steve Davis of Pro Soccer Talk. Fortunately for soccer fans, the Atlantic Cup rivalry began to develop when DC United Coach Bruce Arena began to lead his team to success. For the first three seasons the Red Bulls-DC United rivalry was pretty even, with DC winning 9 games while the Red Bulls (known as the NY/NJ Metro Stars at the time) won 6 games.
The first game ever between the two teams was played on May 12 in Giants Stadium, which the Metro Stars won 2-1 on penalties; the game would be the first of 29 meetings between the two at the stadium. Per MLS rules in 1996, games would go into penalties if tied after 90 minutes. John Harkes of DC United had the fortunate honor of being the first goal scorer in the rivalry’s history, with an 11th minute goal before the Metro Stars’ Giovani Savarese hit the tying shot that sent the game to penalties in the 64th minute. It wasn’t until the playoffs at the end of that season that hints of a developing rivalry began to show. In a hotly contested series, the Metro Stars took the first game in Giants Stadium, winning the game on penalties while DC took the second game at RFK Stadium 1-0. In the third and deciding game with the game tied 1-1 late, Marco Etcheverry was fouled inside the Metro Stars box, leading to a penalty kick by Raul Diaz Arce against Tony Meola that gave DC the 2-1 lead in the 89th minute and eventual series win. The festering seeds of a rivalry had been planted.
The Dawn of the Atlantic Cup
By 2002, the rivalry between the two clubs had become a full-fledged I-95 rivalry that not only was contested on the field between the two teams, but also in the stands as supporter groups and fans traveled to each other’s stadiums. DC United led the all time series going into the 2002 season, 15-11-1. DC had also established themselves as the most successful team in the league having won 3 MLS Cups, 2 Supporters Shields, one CONCACAF Champions Cup and one Copa Interamericana, while the Metro Stars had only a few up and down seasons in the early years of the league.
This little move by DC United’s Alecko Eskandarian at Giants Stadium in 2006 didn’t endear him too much in the hearts of Red Bulls fans and helped fuel the rivalry between the two clubs
The initial format for the Atlantic Cup was the season series winner of the 4 regular season games between the two teams, 2 games at each team’s home. However, in 2007, that changed to 2 games in a season between the two teams as expansion teams were introduced to the league and changed the schedule balance. Beginning in 2012, the series was changed to include three games per season between the two. The winner of the regular season series is determined on aggregate goals.
What’s next?
DC United dominated the cup competition from 2002 through 2009, winning the cup 7 out of 8 years, however the tide has turned since 2010 when the Red Bulls moved into Red Bull Arena as they have won 3 out of the last 4 cups. Overall, DC United lead the all time series against the Red Bulls 41-22-10, and have already clinched this year’s Atlantic Cup with two wins over NYRB this season, a 1-0 win at Red Bull Arena on April 12 and a 2-0 win this past Sunday at RFK Stadium.
The two teams still have one more game to contest at Red Bull Arena on September 10, and while this year’s Atlantic Cup has already been decided, it will go a long way for both team’s 2014 campaigns. The Red Bulls are in a race to make the playoffs, currently trailing Columbus Crew by 2pts with one game in hand for the final playoff spot. DC United is currently at the top of the Eastern Conference and in contention for the Supporters Shield, trailing the Seattle Sounders by 2pts, however Seattle also has one game in hand.
While this year’s Atlantic Cup has already been decided, the rivalry continues on September 10.
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