Major League Soccer will play its 13th MLS Cup championship game Sunday, and it finally has a New York team in the final.
Red Bull New York (originally the Metrostars) beat Real Salt Lake 1-0 in the Western Conference final Saturday.
Although it has never said so publicly, the league must have craved a championship team in its marquee city, New York, where the Cosmos earned international notoriety with Pele, Franz Beckenbauer, Giorgio Chinaglia and others playing for them in the North American Soccer League.
But the young league has had bad luck with its New York team, which never made the final until now. MLS over the years certainly can’t be accused of favoring the team in its biggest city media market just to gain ratings.
The Red Bulls are led by Colombian Juan Pablo Angel (14 goals) up front and Dave van den Bergh, who scored the winner Saturday, in the midfield.
New York will play the Columbus Crew, another first-time finalist, Sunday at 3:30 p.m. in Carson, Calif. The game will be televised on ABC.
U-17 women lose in World Cup final
The United States Under-17 women’s team made the championship game of the first U-17 Women’s World Cup but lost to North Korea 2-1 in extra time Sunday in Auckland, New Zealand.
The Americans allowed a goal in the 113th minute, seven minutes short of going to penalty kicks.
Still, it was a great effort by the Americans.