After the Tie New York, New Jersey and Connecticut are Still Blue.

It was a fast paced game on Friday night at Red Bull Arena as visiting New York City Football Club held off their crosstown rivals and settled for a first ever derby draw.
NYCFC saw Alexander Ring and Ethan White return after suspensions but the rest of the starting eleven remained the same as the team that started against The Revolution last week. It was a crazy, frenzied  first half with both teams pressing and creating numerous turnovers. The Red Bulls had the better chances for the most part with Sean Johnson having to make a few saves to keep the boys in blue even. It seemed NYCFC was willing to absorb a certain amount of pressure and hope the Red Bulls tire in the second half.
Just after the second half began, however, Filipe rattled a shot off the crossbar and NYCFC was lucky not to fall behind early. While Red Bulls were complaining about a no call on a cross to Bradley Wright Phillips into the box NYCFC seized their chance to counter and David Villa played an excellent ball to open Maxi Moralez to goal. Moralez took his shot with seasoned aplomb. He turned and set up his shot rocketing it into the bottom of the net past an outstretched Luis Robles.
The elation was not to last, however, as Sasha Kljestan was brought down in the box by RJ Allen and Gonzalo Veron slotted the penalty home. Patrick Vieira had this to say about the leveling goal.
“It was really smart from Kljestan. I think he was on the ball. He was really smart. And he fooled everything. It wasn’t a penalty at all. It was really soft. And when you look at David’s header and you look at it, it was clearly a hand ball.
I’m disappointed because when you have the VR and you see the replay and keep a penalty, I’m just asking myself, why did we spend so much time opening our door for people to come to explain to us what is the VR job and what they’re going to do and what will happen. It’s really disappointing for us on that side.”
It was disappointing for NYCFC fans hoping for a clean sweep of the Red Bulls in 2017 but ultimately a tie was not the worst result. The point solidified NYCFC’s place a second in MLS and keeps this within striking distance of Toronto. The team has has the most difficult remaining schedule of any team in the east with games against Houston, Chicago, Portland and Sporting KC on the slate. every point is vital at this stage.
NYCFC will likely be without several starters for it’s next match up at home against KC. David Villa, Alexander Ring, Yangel Herrera and Rodney Wallace all have been called up to their national teams and will miss the contest. Wallace will have to miss the next game regardless because of yellow card accumulation. The KC match up will be a big test for younger players like Jack Harrison, Khiry Shelton and Jonathan Lewis. They will need to step up big for their club if NYCFC hopes to remain in the Supporters Shield race.
All that is not happening until September, however. For now, until NYCFC a possible match up verses Red Bulls in the playoffs, New York, New Jersey and, yes, even Hartford, CT are a fine shade of blue.