The New York Red Bulls squad that will face Vancouver Whitecaps on February 22 in CONCACAF Champions League played its last 2017 friendly in Arizona on February 15: a friendly that transplanted the local rivalry with NYCFC to Tucson’s Kino Sports Complex.
The Red Bulls have made it a habit to win historic first encounters against their pale blue rivals, and they duly won the first preseason match between the teams, 2-0. RBNY’s newly-minted club captain, Sacha Kljestan, bagged a brace in his first appearance as the first-team’s first-choice armband wearer.