The New England Revolution and New York Red Bulls are longtime foes on the soccer field, but supporters’ groups from both clubs put those feelings aside on Saturday.
Revolution fans and Red Bulls fans staged a joint “March to the Match,” walking and singing their way into Red Bull Arena in unison.
The Revolution were playing their first MLS game since the Boston Marathon tragedy and the aftermath which gripped the greater Boston area.
Members of two Revolution supporters groups, The Midnight Riders and The Rebellion, were among the dozens of fans who traveled to Harrison, N.J., to attend the game — as they do whenever the Revolution visit the Red Bulls.
As the Revs fans were marching toward Red Bull Arena, they were greeted by members of the Red Bulls’ South Ward supporters group, who were standing behind a large banner which read “New York Stands With Boston” and chanting “Boston Strong” in support of fans from the shaken region.
In a moving display of solidarity, both sets of fans united for the traditional “March to the Match.”
The Red Bulls organization had its own plans to show support for Boston. To honor the victims of the recent violence, the Red Bulls played the Standells’ “Dirty Water” on the arena’s loudspeakers as both teams walked onto the field. At that point, their graciousness stopped for two hours, as the Red Bulls beat the Revolution 4-1.
Watch Revolution and Red Bulls fans unite in the video below (via Dan Dickson).
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Photo via Twitter/SeanDennisonMLS
