New York City FC player ratings are determined by you, the Hudson River Blue readers: Here are the NYCFC player ratings from the 2-1 home loss to Seattle Sounders on Decision Day.
New York City stumbled on the last day of the regular season, giving up two set-piece goals to Seattle Sounders to lose 2-1 in front of an announced crowd of 24,832 at Citi Field. This was a game that NYCFC could have won — if only the finishing was more clinical, the attack more urgent, and the defending more organized.
In other words, Seattle fully deserve the three points for a game well played. And this New York City squad fully deserve the middling ratings you handed them after the Decision Day defeat. The Starting XI averaged a 6.1, with just two players earning ratings in the 7s.
Hudson River Blue Staff
Hudson River Blue Staff
One of those players is Nico Fernández Mercau, who was handed his second Player of the Match of the season after scoring his third goal since joining New York City over the summer. Nico was one of the few players who looked dangerous throughout the night, taking two shots and creating two chances while testing a defense that had largely shut down Alonso Martínez and Hannes Wolf.
The run of play that led to Nico’s goal was started by 17-year-old Máximo Carrizo, who came off the bench late in the game to provide the hockey assist. This was Carrizo’s second consecutive appearance – and just his fifth career appearance with the First Team – but his impressive composure earns him the Player Spotlight for this game.
Note: FotMob ratings are in parentheses.
Alonso Martínez (6.2) – 5.9
Nico Fernández Mercau (7.2) – 7.1
Hannes Wolf, off 62′ (6.1) – 5.6
Maxi Moralez, off 61′ (6.3) – 5.9
Andrés Perea, off 77′ (6.6) – 6.1
Justin Haak (5.8) – 6.0
Kevin O’Toole (6.6) – 6.2
Tayvon Gray, off 77′ (7.1) – 5.5
Raul Gustavo, off 63′ (6.2) – 5.7
Thiago Martins (7.2) – 6.6
Matt Freese (5.7) – 7.0
Julián Fernández, on 61′ (6.8) – 6.7
Jonny Shore, on 62′ (6.4) – 6.4
Agustín Ojeda, on 62′ (6.1) – 6.3
Mitja Ilenič, on 77′ (5.9) – 6.5
Máximo Carrizo, on 77′ (6.1) – 6.7
Player Spotlight
Máximo Carrizo
You can see why Carrizo is working his way into Head Coach Pascal Jansen’s team. The Homegrown midfielder made his First Team debut on March 22 in Matchday 5, but made just two more appearances in the following six months.
Which is why it was a surprise to see him come on late in the 1-0 loss to Philadelphia on October 4 in Matchday 33. He scored what looked to be the tying goal in that game, but it was ruled offside because of a teammate’s positioning in the buildup play. That brings us to the Seattle game on Saturday, when Carrizo once again was involved in a goal — and this time it stood.
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Máximo Carrizo started the play that culminated in a goal | Courtesy newyorkcityfc.com and Apple TV
The play started when Carrizo recovered an errant Seattle pass in the midfield. The 17-year-old begins by running directly at the Seattle goal, drawing four defenders and the goalkeeper. His body language pulls the entire back line to the left side of the goal, but then he chops a no-look pass to his right that finds Julián Fernández in full stride. Fernández lays the ball off to Nico, who finishes the movement with a fortunate deflection off a Seattle defender.
Carrizo’s movement was crafty, aware, and selfless: From the misdirection to the perfectly-weighted pass, it was everything you want from a playmaker.
The teenager looked up to the occasion, and completely unconcerned by the quality of the opposition, the size and speed of the defenders, the seconds ticking down on the clock, or the size of the crowd. Don’t be surprised if you see Carrizo come on again as a late sub when NYCFC begin their MLS Cup Playoffs campaign next week.
Hudson River Blue Staff
Liam Fitzpatrick
Pascal Jansen – 5.8
It wasn’t the best night for the gaffer, although he didn’t make any significant mistakes. Once again, his substitutions led to a goal: It was Carrizo who launched the play, and Fernández who provided the assist. But it wasn’t enough.
Does it matter? Charlotte FC’s surprising win over Philadelphia Union and Nashville SC’s unsurprising loss to Inter Miami meant that NYCFC were going to finish the night in 5th Place no matter the result against Seattle. Now he has eight days to get his team ready for the first game of the playoffs, and to guide the team back to their winning ways.
Chris Penso – 3.5
It was a poor night for the ref, who called 19 fouls against New York City — the second-highest total of the season. So many of them seemed soft, punishing NYCFC every time a Seattle player lost his footing.
Player of the Match
Nico Fernádez Mercau
Nico is growing into his role at NYCFC, and delivered on a night when the rest of the attack looked off. He led the team with two shots on target, and was the only New York City player who consistently troubled the Seattle defense for the full 90 minutes. For that – and for his 82nd-minute goal – you elected him Player of the Match with 40% of the vote.
His goal was a little lucky, if we’re to be honest. The close-range shot was well taken, but it was the deflection off the leg of defender Nouhou Tolo that sent it past goalkeeper Stefan Frei, who was having one of those I-can-save-everything games. Would Frei have stopped a shot that was easier to track? It’s impossible to say. But Nico’s ricochet went in, and that’s what counts.
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Nico’s third goal for NYCFC | Courtesy newyorkcityfc.com
It was Nico’s fourth goal involvement in 11 appearances since joining the team. That’s not bad, although it’s not exactly a supersonic run of form. But it was his second goal in three games, which bodes well for the team’s newest Designated Player as he established himself to be both a creator and a finisher.
Andrew Leigh
