New York City FC closed out the MLS regular season with a loss to Seattle Sounders FC at Citi Field, falling 2-1 on Decision Day on a pair of second-half goals scored from dead-ball situations.
The two teams played a disjointed and forgettable first half, but a trio of goals in the second half decided things in the away team's favor. It was scoreless for 60 minutes in Queens until Seattle's Jordan Morris struck first, rising highest on a free kick and directing a header past Matt Freese.
Nico Fernández Mercau scored an equalizer for New York City in the 82nd minute, but they couldn't protect a point at home. A corner kick found the head of Sounders defender Jackson Ragen and he powered his header home in the 87th minute, and no late equalizer would be found by NYCFC.
Pascal Jansen ends his first MLS regular season in charge of New York City with a 17W-5D-12L record (the second most regular-season wins in club history), 56 points, and in 5th Place in the Eastern Conference. They wouldn't have climbed any higher in the table even with a draw or a win over Seattle, given that Charlotte FC won their match and clinched 4th Place – setting up a best-of-three series between NYCFC and Charlotte in Round One of the MLS Cup Playoffs.
Hudson River Blue Staff
New York City: 1.1 xG, 16 shots, 5 shots on target, 50% possession, 505 passes, 84% pass accuracy, 19 fouls, 9 corners, 2 saves
Seattle: 0.9 xG, 8 shots, 4 shots on target, 50% possession, 519 passes, 84% pass accuracy, 6 fouls, 6 corners, 4 saves
Goals:
• Seattle, Jordan Morris, 61'
New York City, Nico Fernández Mercau, 82'
Seattle, Jackson Ragen, 87'
Attendance: 24,832
First-half slog
There was zero rhythm to the first 45 minutes played between NYCFC and the Sounders. An early, serious knee injury suffered by Seattle's Pedro de la Vega caused a lengthy delay inside the first half-hour of the match. Neither team created great chances and it took until stoppage time of the half for either side to register a shot on target, when Justin Haak forced Seattle keeper Stefan Frei to make a diving save to push away a strike from the top of the 18-yard box.
