Moralez strikes to lift NYCFC to win over NY rival Red Bulls

NEW YORK: Maxi Moralez struck in the 85th minute Sunday as New York City FC turned the tables on crosstown rivals New York Red Bulls with a 1-0 Major League Soccer win at Yankee Stadium.

City, thrashed by the Red Bulls by 4-0 scores in May and June, won the rubber match to climb into second place in the Eastern Conference, extending their home unbeaten streak to nine games.

With David Villa and Jo Inge Berget sidelined by injury, Moralez stepped up with his seventh goal of the season, slotting home a pass from Jonathan Lewis on the right wing that was enough for the victory.

The victory spoiled Chris Armas’ debut as head coach of the Red Bulls.Armas, a former US international who joined the Red Bulls coaching staff in 2015, was named head coach on Friday when the club announced that Jesse Marsch had departed to pursue other opportunities — reportedly with Bundesliga side RB Leipzig, which is owned by the same group that runs the Red Bulls.

“It’s obviously disappointing to not to come out with points,” said Armas, a New York native. “It was close to getting a draw. To leave here in a big match, in a derby match, it was disappointing.”Both teams had replaced their coaches since they last met in the US Open Cup.

NYCFC’s Domenec Torrent was in charge for a third match after taking over from Patrick Vieira, the former Arsenal and France star who left in June to take the reins at top flight French club Nice.