It is perhaps the biggest game in the history of the New York Red Bulls/MetroStars: the 2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final. The Red Bulls had to overcome two tough home foes and two road games to get this far but have finally made it to the big dance in the longest running soccer tournament in U.S. history.
In what may go down as the most important coaching decision of his tenure, Jesse Marsch chose to name backup GK Ryan Meara the starter for the Final in light of his solid play in the tournament, during which he has allowed just three goals, won a pk shootout over Philadelphia and kept two clean sheets in four games.