In a very special Episode 4 of the Hudson River Blue Podcast recorded live from the press box at Yankee Stadium, hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan are joined by Hudson River Blue senior writer Matthew Mangam to provide a post-match breakdown of New York City FC’s 1-1 draw with Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami.
The conversation begins with reactions to the result and what that last-gasp James Sands equalizer might mean for this year’s NYCFC squad — could this end up being their version of a season-changing goal, like Gudi Thórarinsson’s strike in Atlanta at the end of the 2021 season?
John, Mark, and Matthew also get into Lionel Messi’s individual performance in this match, with the Argentine legend held quiet in front of many people who were at the game solely to see him play.
Talk then shifts to the surreal experience of watching Messi and Co. play in the Bronx on a baseball field and in front of a crowd of 44,738. That includes discussion about the in-game atmosphere, that Barbie-themed tifo about supporting your local club unveiled in the NYCFC supporters’ section before kickoff, and the great performance of the NYCFC fans inside the stadium and even outside the stadium pregame.
Things wrap up with a look ahead to next weekend’s Hudson River Derby, which is always big but feels even bigger this time given the closeness of the two local rivals in the Eastern Conference table as the MLS Cup Playoffs draw near.
You can listen to the podcast right here, or on Bleav, Spotify, Apple Music, or wherever you do your podding.
One thing that I think is noteworthy is that Yankee Stadium did a very good job handling the game. The crowd control was very good. Some of the shops are usually closed for MLS games were open. They had some very deep discounts on old merchandise. Opening the stadium an hour earlier was a very good call.