New York City FC player ratings are determined by Hudson River Blue readers: Here are your NYCFC player ratings from a 0-0 stalemate in Chicago that was low on quality on both sides, yet still counts as one away point gained.
The draw-iest draw of a draw in Chicago against the Fire for New York City FC on Matchday 23.
Each team put exactly one shot on target, no player on either team produced what you’d call a standout performance, and the 0-0 felt well deserved all around. Your NYCFC player ratings were fitting for a meh performance, with the Starting XI averaging a 5.5 and no player earning a rating above 6.4.
There was not much to be said about this match, very little went right for either team, yet New York City are likely happy to walk away with a point gained, their fifth positive result away from home out of 11 road games played this season (3 W-2 D-6 L).
Matt Freese earned Player of the Match but also had to make just two saves on a shot with an expected goal (xG) value of 0.06, in a three-way tie for only the sixth highest-xG chance of the night. It was that kind of game.
Note: FotMob ratings are in parentheses.
Alonso Martínez, off ’68 (7.2) – 5.3
Santiago Rodríguez, off ’87 (6.4) – 5.5
Hannes Wolf, off ’68 (6.9) – 5.2
Andrés Perea, off ’14 (5.7) – 4.3
Keaton Parks, (5.9) – 5.4
James Sands (7.4) – 5.4
Mitja Ilenič (7.5) – 5.8
Christian McFarlane (6.3) – 5.5
Thiago Martins (7.1) – 6.2
Strahinja Tanasijević (7.1) – 5.4
Matt Freese (7.4) – 6.4
Justin Haak, on 14′ (6.3) — 4.5
Agustín Ojeda, on 68′ (6.1) — 4.5
Mounsef Bakrar, on 68′ (6.0) — 4.8
Birk Risa, on 87′ (n/a) — 4.6
Player Spotlight
Mitja Ilenič
Weird game for the Slovenian right back. Ilenič produced the best scoring chance for either team, cutting into the Chicago 18-yard box from his usual advanced position on the right, gliding past a Fire defender, and getting into a prime shooting position, only to put his low shot off the far post.
Off the woodwork 👀 pic.twitter.com/Tf869xrlSh
— New York City FC (@newyorkcityfc) July 14, 2024
Ilenič channeled his inner Anton Tinnerholm in that moment and came super close to the first goal of his NYCFC career, a shot given a 0.46 expected goal number. Instead, Ilenič had to settle for the highest match rating of any player, according to FotMob.
FotMob had Mitja rated as a 7.5 on the night, though your score in these ratings was significantly lower at 5.8.
Ilenič did an admirable job filling in for an injured Tayvon Gray, who has been in largely excellent form since mid-May, with the Jamaican international collecting five assists in 10 appearances since May 18.
Yet Ilenič’s care with the ball left something to be desired against Chicago: He attempted the fourth-most passes of any player on the Soldier Field pitch, yet he only completed 61% of those 49 attempts. Gray for the season has completed 78% of his passes, with Mitja’s full-season body of work leaving him with a 74% pass completion rate. So the 19-year-old fullback had an off night in his distribution but still managed to register the best chance of the match.
Ilenič chipped in defensively, credited with three clearances, two tackles won, and one interception, and led NYCFC with five ball recoveries. It was the kind of performance that reminded you he’s got a lot of upside while still being only 19 years old.
Nick Cushing — 4.5
He’s now overseen four consecutive games that have required a substitution due to injury before the 25th minute, all while having to navigate multiple stretches of three matches played in a week. The depth is getting hammered and tested almost daily, though Cushing has still kept his team well-organized, hard to break down, and generally effective, though away matches remain a setting mostly for New York City suffering and a lack of both goals and points. This point earned in Chicago while still undermanned, and still dealing with an ever-present injury bug, earned Cushing a low rating from you, but it also feels like he’s making the best of what he’s got to work with at this very moment.
Rosendo Mendoza — 4.5
The ref and the NYCFC head coach earned the same score, but neither deserved to be dinged for this game. It was an evenly called match from Mendoza, no egregious wrong decisions, no lopsided foul or yellow card counts favoring either team. Generally solid work from the ref, who should have gotten a higher rating simply for performing the necessary act of blowing the final whistle to end this 90-plus-minute exercise in struggle suffered through by both teams.
Player of the Match
Matt Freese
Thiago Martins and Strahinja Tanasijević had more work to do than the man stationed behind them in goal, yet New York City’s breakout goalkeeper earned one more vote than Mitja Ilenič to take home PotM honors.
Yes, it was close, and a split vote: Five different players had their names singled out as potential Players of the Match by you voters, a departure from what is usually a dead heat between one or two players.
Freese’s one and only save on the night came in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time, and it wasn’t even a particularly threatening chance for Chicago. Freese got a 6.4 rating from you and a 7.4 from FotMob, maybe further proving the point HRB executive editor Oliver Strand made after the match: Clean sheets don’t tell the entire story of a goalkeeper’s performance.
Oliver Strand
Freese’s performance has been stellar all season, but he hasn’t had the high number of clean sheets that might draw him even more attention (like, say, a spot at the MLS All-Star Game) on par with the league’s other top goalkeepers.
The 25-year-old ‘keeper has been a revelation for NYCFC this year and now takes home his sixth Player of the Match honors from our season-long player ratings. It wasn’t his most eye-catching performance, but it was enough to ensure that one point traveled back to New York City with Freese and his teammates.
