At this very moment, Omir Fernández is either the most loved or hated man in New York, depending on who you ask. Those acclaiming him are fans of the New York Red Bulls, and the ones who would rather see the back of him at the New York City FC faithful. This Thursday, he scored the only goal in the **Leagues Cup** Round of 32 clash between the cross-city opponents. But it wasn’t the only time he’d found the net in the derby - here’s a look at the other times the winger has been decisive against the team’s local rivals.
The 24-year-old right-sided forward was born in The Bronx. He is an U23 US international, and came through the youth ranks at the New York Red Bulls. Fernández broke into the first-team set-up in November of 2019, and has since emerged as a regular in the team’s starting eleven.
While he has found the net various times over the course of his career so far, there are two moments in particular which stand out. In the previous fixture between NYCFC and the Bulls, it was also Fernández who scored the deciding goal, in a 1-0 win on May 13, for matchday 12 of the current MLS season.
But that’s not the only time that he’s decided the derby. When the New York Red Bulls came out on top in a 2022 US Open Cup meeting between the two teams, the Mexican American would put away the final strike that would seal the 3-0 win. The other two goals that afternoon were scored by Lewis Morgan and Luquinhas, both in the second half.
Omir Fernández seems to have a knack for making the difference in derbies. His goal from the penalty spot this Thursday sent his team to the Leagues Cup round of 16, where they will take on the Philadelphia Union. Will he be able to carry on his goalscoring form?
