NYCFC awarded just one penalty in MLS this year

Another thing that’s different about New York City FC this year: The players aren’t winning penalty kick calls.

NYCFC were awarded just one penalty kick in the 28 MLS league matches they played so far this year. That ties New York City for the second-lowest in the league — only Dallas FC and Real Salt Lake, who were given zero penalty kicks, have fewer.

PKs Awarded by Club, 2023 MLS season

It’s an unexpected situation for an attack-minded team that are usually among the Top 10 in the league for penalties awarded. Just last year, NYCFC were given three penalties when they played the New England Revolution at Yankee Soccer Stadium — the PK hat trick set an MLS record – and they finished the season with nine.

3 – @NYCFC is the first team to be awarded three penalty kicks in a single @MLS match. Spot. pic.twitter.com/DEOs2dFBsl

— OptaJack⚽️ (@OptaJack) July 9, 2022

Usually, NYCFC are awarded between six and nine penalties per year. The fewest were the three awarded in the COVID-shortened 2020 season.

No such luck this year. NYCFC simply aren’t getting the calls.

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NYCFC PKs by season

Is it because the team no longer have Taty Castellanos, who is adept at finding dangerous places in the box, and spent most of the season without Maxi Moralez, who is among the elite at drawing a foul? It could be that the current NYCFC attack simply aren’t hacked as much.

Is it because this team aren’t particularly skilled in the dark arts? While physical clubs such as FC Cincinnati and Philadelphia Union are adept at fouling their opponents off the ball and then going down easily when it presents an advantage, NYCFC generally try to keep possession and play clean.

Or is it because the referees have been giving NYCFC a tough time in general? Not to get too tinfoil hat about the season, but this New York City have been hard done by some truly awful officiating.

Whatever the reason, this single PK is anomalous for the club.

How officiating undid NYCFC

Close margins

More to the point, this NYCFC could use some more calls.

This scarcity of penalties is arguably having an outsized impact on a season in which NYCFC have 12 draws, and lost four games by just one goal — an additional goal here and there could be the difference between NYCFC making or missing the playoffs. New York City currently sit in 12th place in the Eastern Conference with 30 points, four points below the playoff line, and another four or five penalties could have added key points.

NYCFC have certainly dropped points because of a penalty decision. In the recent 1-1 draw with the Vancouver Whitecaps, Vancouver midfielder Ryan Gauld was awarded a penalty for the softest of fouls. He converted his shot to earn the draw and the point at Yankee Stadium.

As for NYCFC’s lone penalty, it came against Charlotte FC, when Braian Cufré was hacked and stomped inside the box — it’s as obvious a foul as they come. Santiago Rodríguez buried the shot, but an own goal in the 74th minute handed the game to Charlotte.

It’s been that kind of season.

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UPDATE: NYCFC were awarded a second penalty kick in their 2-0 win over Orlando City on September 20, 2023. Rodríguez carried the ball into the box, where a defender tangled his legs. At first the call wasn’t given, but referee Ismail Elfath reviewed the play and gave the penalty to NYCFC.

Santi’s penalty shot was saved by Orlando goalkeeper Pedro Gallese, but Mounsef Bakrar headed in the deflection to take a 1-0 lead.

Later, when asked what moment changed the game, NYCFC midfielder James Sands said it was the penalty call.