Atlantic Cup (Major League Soccer)
The Atlantic Cup is both the name of the rivalry, as well as the trophy awarded to the winner of the regular season season series between Major League Soccer rivals D.C. United, and the New York Red Bulls. Presently, the series occurs thrice a year, with either United hosting two matches and playing at the Red Bulls, or vice versa.
Inaugurated in 2002, the Atlantic Cup has translated into one of the most bitter rivalries in Major League Soccer and in American soccer. The origins of the rivalry are unknown, but some claim that it developed due to the cities relative proximity to each other, and the frequency of the two clubs playing one another in league, playoff and cup play. For United, the Red Bulls are the only opponent they have competed against in more than five occasions in both the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and the MLS Cup Playoffs.
Traditionally, the rivalry has been in favor of D.C. United, in terms of silverware collected, and matches won. Over both club's histories, United has won a dozen domestic and international championships, while New York has yet to win its first major championship. However, while the Atlantic Cup was dominated by D.C. United during a majority of the 2000s, New York won every series in the 2010s until 2012. The two sides have met 79 times across all competitions, 67 of them being in MLS regular season play, nine from MLS Cup playoff play and three from U.S. Open Cup play.
D.C. United are the current titleholders of the Atlantic Cup. United earned the title against Red Bulls for the first time since 2009 with a 2–2 home draw, resulting in a 8–6 aggregate victory.
Read more about Atlantic Cup (Major League Soccer): Supporters, Honors, All-time Game Results, Statistics, Winners By Year
Famous quotes containing the words atlantic, cup and/or league:
“She had exactly the German way: whatever was in her mind to be delivered, whether a mere remark, or a sermon, or a cyclopedia, or the history of a war, she would get it into a single sentence or die. Whenever the literary German dives into a sentence, that is the last you are going to see of him till he emerges on the other side of the Atlantic with his verb in his mouth.”
—Mark Twain [Samuel Langhorne Clemens] (1835–1910)
“There is not enough exercise in this way of life. I try to make up by active gymnastics before I dress when I get up, by walking rapidly in the lower hall and the greenhouse after each meal for perhaps five to ten minutes, and a good hand rubbing before going to bed. I eat moderately; drink one cup of coffee at breakfast and one cup of tea at lunch and no other stimulant. My health is now, and usually, excellent.”
—Rutherford Birchard Hayes (1822–1893)
“Half a league, half a league,
Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
“Forward the Light Brigade!”
—Alfred Tennyson (1809–1892)