"The conclusion is simple. We have 10 finals to get what we want, which is the playoffs."
That’s how New York City FC Head Coach Pascal Jansen previewed this match against Nashville SC. Take each game as it comes, win, and we’re in. Going into the game, there was reason for confidence; the Pigeons had won four of their last five home games, and the visitor had never won in the history of this head-to-head matchup. Their last face-off was a scrappy 2-2 draw that featured a dramatic Hannes Wolf equalizer in the 87th minute.
None of that mattered to the Coyotes. They seized the game by the throat from the start. Nashville took an early lead through Jacob Shaffelburg in the 10th minute, but New York City got an Andrés Perea equalizer shortly before a long weather delay late in the first half, then secured all three points when Alonso Martínez poked home an Agustín Ojeda cross in the 77th minute, his league-leading seventh game-winning goal of the season.
New York City: 1.8 xG, 12 shots, 4 shots on target, 54% possession, 496 passes, 85% pass accuracy, 10 fouls, 2 corners, 3 saves
Nashville: 1.6 xG, 12 shots, 4 shots on target, 46% possession, 397 passes, 84% pass accuracy, 12 fouls, 4 corners, 2 saves
Goals:
• Nashville, Jacob Shaffelburg, 10'
New York City, Andrés Perea, 40'
New York City, Alonso Martínez, 77'
Attendance: 20,077
Visitors in control early
Nashville winger Jacob Shaffelburg sprang Sam Surridge into wide open space in the game’s first thirty seconds, forcing keeper Matt Freese into an excellent reflex save. Then, just an instant later, Josh Bauer saw his pass skitter across the goal line–but that mercifully went out for a corner.
The pressure kept building, and finally, in the 10th minute, a Hany Mukhtar pass found Shaffelburg, and the Canadian shot low past a diving Freese to put Nashville in front, 1-0.
The Pigeons took that moment to reset themselves. In the 16th minute, the ageless Maxi Moralez took a through ball from Nico Fernández and rifled a shot on target, but it was decently saved by keeper Joe Willis.
NYCFC grows into the game
Nashville kept pressing, but New York City was growing into the match, with Fernández and Andrés Perea making shots in the 36th and 37th minute. Finally, as clouds gathered and skies darkened, a breakthrough came in the 40th minute.
Hannes Wolf delivered a dime to Perea, the midfielder nimbly skipped past two Coyotes defenders, and unleashed a ferocious blast from the top of the key to the bottom right corner of the goal. Willis could only wave at it helplessly as the netting billowed.
Andrés Perea's finish. Video via @MLS on Twitter.
It was just in time, too. Seconds after he scored, as the players gathered for the restart, referee Filip Dujic put a halt to the proceedings for a weather delay. Then came the thunder and lightning. For over an hour, rain pelted down at Yankee Stadium as fans huddled in the concourse. Finally, at 7:25 pm, the game restarted. Players ambled onto the field, and the remaining fans streamed into the stands.
As the half drew to a close, Sam Surridge very nearly staked Nashville to a halftime lead, but Freese smartly saved his attempt. Comically, New York City and Nashville played out the remaining five minutes of the first half, plus another four for stoppage time, then took the requisite 15-minute halftime break, turning what had been an afternoon and evening match into a night game, thanks to the weather delay.
Momentum swings NYCFC's way
Soccer is a game of rhythm, and these kinds of interruptions can wreak havoc on the best teams. Nashville was not immune to this.
New York City came out flying to start the second half, and Alonso Martínez nearly made the Coyotes pay. Twice in the space of two minutes–in the 51st and 52nd–the Costa Rican forward came tantalizingly close to giving New York City the lead, with his second attempt forcing keeper Joe Willis into a close-range save. As the second half went on, the Coyotes found themselves pinned back more and more.
Andrew Leigh
Pascal Jansen made his first substitution in the 64th minute, and it was one full of attacking intent. Out came Hannes Wolf, in came Agustín Ojeda. His introduction made the Pigeons even more dangerous as they chased a go-ahead goal.
Ojeda had a go from distance in the 69th, then Martínez very nearly scored in the 72nd as his chip shot doinked off the crossbar. In the 74th Perea almost bagged a brace as Maxi Moralez put a cross on a plate for him, but his header went high over the crossbar.
The eventual game winner came in the 77th minute. Moralez delivered a pass to Ojeda down the right, Ojeda drove hard into the penalty area, drawing the defense towards him and freeing up Martínez. Ojeda then passed across the goalmouth, leaving Martínez to bundle the ball across the line and give New York City a deserved 2-1 lead.
Alonso Martínez's game-winning goal. Video via @MLS on Twitter.
Pascal Jansen took that as his chance to replace Moralez with Julian Fernández, giving the ageless midfield maestro a chance to rest.
Nashville coach BJ Callaghan’s tactical response was a dual substitution of his own. In the 80th minute, reinforced his backline by substituting Jack Maher with Walker Zimmerman, and introduced Teal Bunbury in place of Jacob Shaffelburg.
It almost paid off in the 83rd minute, as Hany Mukhtar set up Josh Bauer with a deft cross, but Freese was able to save Bauer's attempt. Bunbury then hooked up with Mukhtar in the 89th, but once again, Freese frustrated the Coyotes' attempt to draw level. Julián Fernández almost added an insurance goal in the 90th, but his shot narrowly missed wide left.
Jansen made his final substitution in the 93rd minute, withdrawing Martínez in favor of Seymour Reid, and the game petered out to a close shortly thereafter, the three points seen out by NYCFC.
Hudson River Blue Staff
What's next
This was New York City’s 12th victory of the season, and while they remain in 8th Place in the Eastern Conference with 41 points, they still have two games in hand on most of the teams above them in the Eastern Conference table.
Also worth noting: Alonso Martínez's goal was his 29th for New York City, drawing him even with Maxi Moralez for third on the all-time scoring list. David Villa is first with 77, followed by Taty Castellanos with 50. He also notched his seventh game-winning goal of the season, tied with FC Cincinnati’s Kévin Denkey for the most game-winning goals in MLS.
The Pigeons are now on a four-game unbeaten streak. Their next two games offer a striking contrast. They will travel to Cincinnati next Saturday, facing off against Eastern Conference-leading FC Cincinnati at 7:30 pm. Then, they'll face cellar-dwelling DC United at home on August 30th.
• Nashville, Edvard Tagseth, yellow card, foul, 48'
New York City, Maxi Moralez, yellow card, foul, 58'
Nashville, Sam Surridge, yellow card, poor sportsmanship, 82'
New York City, Alonso Martínez, yellow card, poor sportsmanship, 82'
New York City, Andrés Perea, yellow card, foul, 90'+4'
Officials
• Referee: Filip Dujic
• Assistant referees: Lyes Arfa, Jose Da Silva
• Fourth official: Sergii Demianchuk
• VAR: Shawn Tehini
• Assistant VAR: Mike Kampmeinert
