The New York Red Bulls thrashed New York City FC 7-0 as they took their dominance of the Big Apple derby to new levels last night.
Bradley Wright-Phillips and Dax McCarty each scored twice before Alex Muyl, Gonzalo Veron and Gideon Bash ran up the score to match the largest margin of victory in MLS history.
The result cost New York City, who also featured former Real Madris star David Villa, the chance to replace the Philadelphia Union at the top of the Eastern Conference standings.
The result will also have come at the cost of red faces all around as it happened on their own turf at Yankee Stadium.
Frank Lampard, who is thought to earn more than the entire Red Bulls squad combined, did at least make his long-awaited season debut for City following injury, coming on for Andrea Pirlo after 75 minutes.
The Red Bulls, who have beaten City in all four of their meetings to date, moved to within a point of their neighbours and within two of the Union as they went third.
Toronto FC could have gone level with the Union but were held to a goalless draw by the Columbus Crew, leaving them in fourth.
Axel Sjoberg’s 43rd minute goal was enough for the Colorado Rapids to beat the Seattle Sounders 1-0 and stay top of the Western Conference, one point clear of FC Dallas who beat the New England Revolution 4-2.
After Tesho Akindele’s early penalty put Dallas on top, the Revolution scored twice in quick succession through Juan Agudelo and Lee Nguyen to snatch the lead.
But Atiba Harris levelled before the break, and Fabian Castillo had Dallas in front before Akindele’s second of the match late on.
Real Salt Lake beat Sporting Kansas City 3-1 to go third in the West. Juan Manuel Martinez opened the scoring before Brad Davis’ own goal put Salt Lake in firm control on the stroke of half-time.
Don Dwyer pulled a goal back but Yura Movsisyan had the win wrapped up as early as the 53rd minute.
Cyle Larin’s brace saw Orlando City recover from Ignacio Piatti’s early strike and rally for a 2-1 win over the Montreal Impact, while the Chicago Fire beat the Houston Dynamo 1-0 thanks to Arturo Alvarez’s third-minute strike.
