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Oftentimes we have to look backward to understand the future. New York Red Bulls have been playing soccer since 1996. They are one of three MLS originals without an MLS Cup. Columbus, D.C. United, Colorado, Sporting KC, San Jose and, of course, the Galaxy all have at least one. New York, New England and FC Dallas have none.
What makes New York stand out in that trio is a unique degree of playoff futility. Counting this season, the club has made the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs 25 of their 29 seasons in existence. That includes their current run. They’ve made it to the conference finals/MLS semifinals just five times. They’ve made it to MLS Cup just one time, before this year made it two for 25.
They’ve finished first in their conference six times in that stretch. None of those teams made MLS Cup.
In 2000, the MetroStars made it to the MLS Semifinals before falling to the Chicago Fire six points to three points in a three-game series. (First team to five points wins. No, really). They were tied heading into the final moments of game three before Ante Razov’s 88th-minute goal.
The 2010 team stumbled out of the gate immediately, falling to San Jose 3-2 on aggregate after going on the road to win leg one 1-0. New York’s Juan Pablo Ángel tied things up at 2-2 in the 78th minute of the second leg… only for Chris Wondolowski to ruin that three minutes later.
2013 saw the Supporters’ Shield-winning Red Bulls head to extra time against Houston in the Conference Semifinals. Omar Cummings scored for the Dynamo in the 104th minute of the second leg to send New York home. In 2015, a 60-point, Supporters’ Shield-winning Red Bulls side made it all the way to the Conference Finals, gave up a goal to Justin Meram in, no joke, the first 10 seconds of leg one, and fell 2-1 on aggregate. It was (and very likely still is?) the fastest goal in MLS playoff history.
Then there’s 2018. The best Red Bulls team ever set a points record, won the Supporters’ Shield and looked damn near unstoppable for the majority of the year. Then, under head coach Chris Armas, they inexplicably changed up their high-pressing setup in the Conference Finals in Atlanta. New York beat the Five Stripes in both regular season matches that year. But that night, Atlanta United took full advantage of the Red Bulls’ major change and won 3-1 on aggregate.
And those are just the best Red Bulls teams. The 2008 team finished fifth in their conference before making a run to MLS Cup. They tied things up at 1-1 in the 51st minute, but Columbus scored two minutes later and never looked back in a 3-1 win. The 2014 side made it to the Conference Finals against the Revs, but a brace from Charlie Davies in the second leg sent them home.
Now we’re here. With New York one win away from doing what 24 other playoff teams couldn’t do. We’re looking at the first genuine curse-breaking moment in MLS history. A win on Saturday wouldn’t make all of the above worth it, but it would make a win the single most cathartic moment in the history of the league.
There are fans who have been following this team since 1996. Even the ones who haven’t been around as long have experienced some degree of sports pain. It’s built into the DNA of Red Bulls fandom at this point. They may not know what to do with themselves if New York actually pull this off. But once they get over the initial shock, they’ll be just fine. A little more than fine.
We’re on the verge of seeing something special. And, shockingly, it’s not one of the best Red Bulls teams ever nearing a title. It’s a team that earned terrible results down the stretch and finished seventh in the conference. Hot at the right time feels like an understatement. But, man, regardless of whether it’s them catching a few breaks, or regression to the mean, or divine intervention, it’s about time a few things went their way. Maybe this can be the first time everything goes right in their last game of the year.
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