Ben Sweat wrote his name into Hudson River Derby folklore in his first meeting with Red Bulls in June.
The Floridian defender assisted Jack Harrison’s opening goal before coming up with the game-clinching second himself to earn NYCFC a first-ever win at Red Bull Arena.
It’s no exaggeration to say that the 25-year old has been a revelation in his first season in New York, nailing down a regular starting berth and producing consistently high level performances in defense.
Signed in the offseason following a successful trial, Sweat has made 14 appearances so far in 2017 and is likely to start his second derby of the MLS season on Sunday.