The Eastern Conference Championship between the New England Revolution and New York Red Bulls, which kicks off Sunday at Red Bull Arena (1:30 pm ET, NBC/NBC Live Extra) will provide the latest chapter in a long-standing rivalry.
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The two MLS originals have traded plenty of epic jabs over the years. From an infamous own goal in 1996 to three playoff meetings in five years (2003-07) to Dax McCarty's sensational chip on Aug. 2, there has been no shortage of unforgettable games or plays in the teams' head-to-head history.
While we can expect some new memories from the upcoming series, here are the five most notable moments – so far – in the history of the New York-New England rivalry:
5. MELEEIN THE MEADOWLANDS
MetroStars 5, Revolution 4 – Sept. 17, 2005 (Giants Stadium)
Squaring off during the September stretch run, the teams combined for a match that resembled a heavyweight prizefight, with each team delivering blow after blow. The game featured some of the league's all-time greats (Clint Dempsey, Shalrie Joseph, Michael Parkhurst, Steve Ralston, Matt Reis, Taylor Twellman for New England; Jeff Agoos, Michael Bradley, Youri Djorkaeff, Eddie Gaven, Amado Guevara, Tony Meola, Ante Razov for the MetroStars) and saw a 1-1 deadlock explode to life in the second half.
The MetroStars took a 3-1 lead, only to see the Revolution score three times in 15 minutes and grab a 4-3 advantage. Not to be outdone, the MetroStars finally came out on top after youngsters Bradley and Mike Magee combined to tie the game, and French star Djorkaeff won it in the 86th minute.
4. CURSE OF CARICOLA
Revolution 1, MetroStars 0 – April 20, 1996 (Giants Stadium)
The rivalry begins, and so too does an infamous curse. With the minutes winding down on a scoreless draw, MetroStars defender Nicola Caricola, facing his own goal at the top of the six-yard box, saw a Tony Meola save rebound in his direction and, in an effort to clear, the Italian accidentally flicked the ball back over the downed goalkeeper (watch the own goal here).
The infamous gaffe gave New England a gift-wrapped 1-0 victory and started a jinx of organizational futility, known as the Curse of Caricola, that saw the MetroStars/Red Bulls fail to capture a league-wide championship until they won last year’s Supporters’ Shield.
3. CONTROVERSIAL CAPPER
Red Bulls 2, Revolution 2 – Oct. 5, 2013 (Red Bull Arena / watch highlights here)
This game seemed to have a little bit of everything and it all came in the last 15 minutes.
With New York leading 1-0 against a Revolution team that had lost all four previous trips to Red Bull Arena, Jamison Olave was whistled for a contentious handball in the 83rd minute, and Lee Nguyen converted the ensuing penalty kick to tie the score. But that was only the beginning of the mayhem.
New England's Andy Dorman got a red card, Revs 'keeper Matt Reis deniedThierry Henry on a breakaway, Diego Fagundez scored in stoppage time to (seemingly) give the Revolution a 2-1 win and the visitors also saw an appeal for a second penalty kick foul on Dimitry Imbongo go unanswered.
That left just enough time for one last Red Bulls free kick which the Revs had to defend with nine men after a bleeding Andrew Farrell was forced to the sidelines. Red Bulls DP Tim Cahill capitalized to head home the 2-2 equalizer in the 97th minute, keeping the Red Bulls on track for their first Supporters' Shield title and leaving the Revolution frustrated in Harrison yet again.
- SUPPORTERS' SOLIDARITY
Red Bulls 4, Revolution 1 – April 20, 2013 (Red Bull Arena / watch highlights here)
New York scored twice late to lock down a 4-1 win, but the game's significance came off the field, as supporters from the two clubs marched to the stadium side by side, and the teams combined to honor victims of the Boston Marathon bombings throughout the game.
Red Bulls head coach Mike Petke, always a proud New Yorker, summed it up when he said, “It’s very reminiscent of 9/11 in the sense that 9/11 everybody was a New Yorker, and now that this happened, everybody is from Boston."
1. THE COMEBACK
Revolution 3, MetroStars 1 –Oct. 29, 2005 (Gillette Stadium / watch highlights here)
Roughly six weeks after their dramatic 5-4 thriller (see No. 5 above), the teams met in the Eastern Conference Semifinals for the second time in three years, playing the 2nd leg in snowy Foxborough, Massachusetts.
The MetroStars appeared on their way to winning the series when Youri Djorkaeff scored in the 59th minute for a 2-0 aggregate lead.
But New England mounted a furious rally, as Jose Cancela (68') and Pat Noonan (73') struck in quick succession and Khano Smith struck the decisive goal (83') to send the Revolution to their fourth consecutive Conference Championship and the first of three straight MLS Cup finals.
