According to Opta, New York City FC are tied with LAFC for the third-most “Fast and Direct” team in MLS. To u go by the numbers, this is a team that runs hard, wins possession, and creates chances.
It passes the eye test. You saw that intensity of play earlier tonight in NYCFC’s loss to Austin FC, when they spent the second half chasing the game and striking terror into the home crowd. But Before we discuss Austin’s 2-1 win in Texas, let’s go back to New York City’s 1-2 loss to Portland Timbers in March in The Bronx.
New York City started the Portland game in a flat-out sprint, with Santiago Rodríguez scoring in the 10th minute. They kept up the blistering pace through most of the first half, creating chance after chance in a game that felt like it could spill over into a blowout. It didn’t. The New York City that took the field in the second half looked docile and disorganized, and allowed a veteran Timbers to dominate them from kickoff.
Portland left it late – they scored their equalizer in the 85th minute, and their game-winner in the 90+7th minute – but they unquestionably deserved the three points.
New York City FC 1 – 2 Portland Timbers | March 10, 2024
That wasn’t the case earlier tonight. Once again, New York were the first on the scoreboard when Andrés Perea scored in the fifth minute. And once again they couldn’t keep their lead, with Gyasi Zardes scoring the equalizer in the 45+7th minute and the game-winner in the 69th minute. But New York City attacked the game relentlessly throughout the second half, pinning back the Austin midfield and recovering the ball in dangerous places.
This team looked like they could get a result, or even a win. Austin are lucky to end the night with three points after escaping a New York Press that threatened to pull them apart.
Austin FC 2 – 1 New York City FC | July 6, 2024
One moment stands out. In the 86th minute, James Sands lashed a shot from outside the box. Those of us who follow New York City know that Sands is maybe the least likely player on the squad to score a game-winner, the well-taken shot almost completely silenced an already subdued Q2 Stadium.
The fans in the stands who should have been on their feet and shouting encouragement to a team that were just a few minutes away from logging a much-needed win instead looked miserable. The crowd just wanted it to end.
It reminded us of a tweet posted towards the end of New York City’s game against Columbus Crew last month by Massive Report:
The ultra attacking from #NYCFC is something to be scared of because hot damn… the press is unreal
— Massive Report (@MassiveReport) June 15, 2024
That’s high praise coming from a website that follows and supports Columbus. We imagine the soccer pundits in Austin were thinking similar thoughts tonight.
In case you forgot, New York City also lost that game to Columbus by one goal.
But this team is still a work in progress, and if there’s a positive to take from New York City’s loss tonight it’s that the fight never left the players. More than that, the sprint grew stronger as the game wore on. The squad that rolled over against Portland were relentless against Columbus in The Bronx, and against Austin in Texas.
Now it’s up to this New York City squad need to learn how to make better use of that energy. They were the more dangerous team tonight – and at the end of the game vs Columbus – and yet both of those games brought New York City the same zero points as the loss against Portland.
It’s important not to give up. The next step is finding a way to win.
