New York City FC player ratings are determined by Hudson River Blue readers: Here are your NYCFC player ratings from the soggy 0-2 loss to the Colorado Rapids at Citi Field.
New York City FC ended its five-match home stand not with a bang but with a whimper, falling 0-2 to the Colorado Rapids on a dreary Sunday afternoon in Queens.
No goals scored and two conceded in an uninspiring home defeat did not do wonders for the numbers in your latest ratings. The positive vibes that were tangible in these player ratings during New York City’s five-match unbeaten run turned a bit sour with the Colorado defeat.
Only one New York City outfield player received a rating of 6.0 or higher, a week after four players were rated at 8.0 or above for performances in the win over Charlotte FC. Fitting for a home performance that lacked quality across the Starting XI and much of the substitute’s bench.
Read on for the full player ratings from a frigid, wet, forgettable Cinco de Mayo defeat in Queens.
Note: FotMob ratings are in parentheses.
Mounsef Bakrar, off 65′ (6.5) – 3.6
Santiago Rodríguez (6.9) – 5.9
Hannes Wolf, off 77′ (6.6) – 4.3
Agustín Ojeda, off 55′ (6.5) – 4.5
Keaton Parks, off 55′ (6.8) – 5.0
James Sands (7.4) – 4.9
Mitja Ilenič, off 55′ (6.2) – 4.1
Kevin O’Toole (6.9) – 5.9
Thiago Martins (7.2) – 5.9
Birk Risa (6.8) – 5.3
Matt Freese (6.3) – 6.1
Tayvon Gray, on 55′ (7.1) – 6.0
Andrés Perea, on 55′ (6.3) – 4.7
Malachi Jones, on 55′ (6.6) – 4.9
Alonso Martínez, on 65′ (6.0) – 4.5
Julián Fernández, on 77′ (6.1) – 4.9
Player Spotlight
Tayvon Gray
The highest-rated New York City player vs. the Rapids, non-beloved-starting-goalkeeper edition, didn’t take the pitch at Citi Field until the 55th minute.
That was when Tayvon Gray replaced Mitja Ilenič, part of a rare triple-change from Nick Cushing. Gray would put in an inspired shift, offering a significant improvement on what was a tough day at the office for Ilenič, the lowest-rated member of the New York City back line at 4.1.
Gray created the team’s best chance to draw level with Colorado in the second half, whipping an inch-perfect cross right onto the head of fellow substitute Malachi Jones in the 77th minute. Jones couldn’t place his header accurately, sending it wide of Zack Steffen and the Rapids goal.
The missed header represented New York City’s best scoring chance of the entire match, not just the second half, with Jones’s shot rated as worth 0.19 expected goals (xG), according to Opta.
In his 36 minutes of action, Gray also completed 85% of his 40 attempted passes, while completing three crosses into the penalty area, and putting one long-distance shot on target that was saved. FotMob rated the Bronx native and NYCFC Homegrown as a 7.1, while your votes had him at a still-decent 6.0, a tick above the actual Player of the Match, who received a 5.9.
It was an influential performance off the bench by Gray, who has gone an entire month between appearances for NYCFC. His most recent minutes came as a starter in the 1-1 draw with Atlanta United on Matchday 7 that kicked off this prolonged home-match stretch, but Mitja Ilenič has more or less owned the right-back position this season. Gray’s performance against Colorado might force Nick Cushing to reconsider that arrangement at right-back.
Nick Cushing – 3.5
From getting his highest rating of 2024 a week ago to back to a lowly 3.5 for the New York City head coach. Cushing feels the heat after his team played right into the hands of the Chris Armas-led Rapids, who grabbed an early goal and were content to sit back, absorb pressure and possession from NYCFC, then look for opportunities to strike on the counter.
Cushing tried to make big early changes in the second half with his triple-sub at 55 minutes, but nothing he did reversed his team’s fortunes. His New York City side continues to confound, looking nothing like the confident, ascendent side that had won three straight matches.
Allen Chapman — 5.0
Chapman could have played a bigger role in the proceedings, as Colorado had a potential second goal of the first half disallowed on the field by the lineswoman’s flag being raised for offside. The referee, however, did not get sent to the VAR monitor to review the decision, settling the one controversial ref-involved moment of the match without any real controversy. There weren’t tons of whistles, and no obvious blown calls, so a 5.0 feels fair.
Player of the Match
Kevin O’Toole
Not a ton to celebrate about any New York City player’s performance against Colorado, but O’Toole had a second straight strong game and just barely edged past Santi Rodríguez to earn POTM honors.
The 25-year-old fullback seemed to fill the void left by midfielder Keaton Parks, who had an off day and was removed in the 55th minute.
O’Toole had the fourth most touches (91) and attempted passes (81) of any New York City player, completing 83% of those passes. He was also credited with playing four key passes (that lead directly to a shot), the most of any NYCFC player, all according to FBref.com.
You the voters had O’Toole graded at a 5.9, while FotMob more generously had the ex-Princeton player at 6.9. Despite the two-goal defeat, O’Toole continues to grow in importance as a key part of the connective tissue that links New York City’s defense and attack. He’s been on the ball more and contributing more as a chance-creator, while never seeming to be the weakest link in the back line.
