Patrick Vieira and his men were looking to make it third time lucky at Yankee Stadium as New York City FC played hosts to New England Revolution last night.
With international fixtures this week, the starting 11 would be without a number of key figures who have filled fans with plenty of hope and excitement already this season. Ronald Mataritta has very quickly become a fan favourite and somewhat of a surprise package of the 2016 season, settling the nerves of the New York City faithful when the defence is called upon.
Mix Diskerud split opinion last season but having voiced his concerns about the position in which he was played, he looks set to return to his best as his opportunity to play in a more central role has arisen under Vieira.Khiry Shelton, one of the clubs biggest prospects would also miss the fixture due to international duties.
With positions to fill, Steven Mendoza was given his first start for the club having shown glimmers of what he is capable of in the previous games whilst Kwadwo Poku was also included from the off, much to the pleasure of those in the bleachers.
The games lacked the intensity and control we’d seen in previous weeks and defensive frailties were clear for all to see. That being said, New York City FC struck first thanks to the head of Tommy McNamara. The build up play which lead to the goal was brilliant. Iraola with great skill found Taylor deep inside the New England half. With a quick shimmy and a stepover, Taylor worked the ball over the heads of the defence towards the penalty spot where Villa met the ball with a venomous volley that struck the woodwork. With the goal gaping McNamara reacted first to head it home and put the home side 1 goal to the good inside 10 minutes.
New York City FC’s distribution from the back has always raised eyebrows and today was no different. Sloppy passing, poor control and not picking out a man quick enough gifted New England with opportunities that they failed to capitalise upon for the most part. Bunbury and his pace looked to be the Revs main threat as he continued to bypass the defensive line, he worked the ball into dangerous positions for the away side but it seemed as though it wasn’t just the New York City defence that couldn’t seem to keep up.
As New England continued to apply pressure and grow into the game having gone a goal down, they finally got what was perhaps a deserved reward. A foul right on the edge of the box gave New England’s Chris Tierney a chance to really test Saunders. Tierney stepped up with his target set to the right of Josh Saunders who looked to have had it covered but the shot took a wicked defection off the forehead of Mendoza that sent the ball back across the goal and in. Again New York City FC fell foul of an equalising goal as the half was coming to an end.
5 minutes after the restart, Tommy McNamara picked up the ball in the centre of the field before being brought down by the late lunge of Gershon Koffie. The referee brandished the red card in what many believed would be a game changing situation in favour of the boys from the Bronx.
It took New York City 10 minutes to begin their assault on the 10 men of New England with Villa being slipped through by Mendoza only to see his effort thunder across the face of goal and wide of the mark. In a surprising turn of events it was the away side that began to look the more likely of the two sides and in the 75th minute, they should have taken the league. The pace of Bunbury again caused problems and his looping through ball to Davies sent him through on goal with only Saunders to beat. Davies with perhaps a little too much time to assess his options attempted to take it around Saunders giving the boys in blue a chance to regroup and clear the resulting shot from off the line.
Frustration was beginning to mount. The majority of the second half against a team of 10, so few chances being created and on the most part looking second favourites.
As the clock struck 90 minutes New York City FC began one final charge. Tony Taylor’s superb cross deep into the box was met by the head of the earlier introduced Patrick Mullins who just couldn’t get enough on the ball to send it past Shuttlesworth.
Moments later it was McNamara who had a chance to grab his second of the night. He was slipped through towards the right side of the box, his first time shot had plenty of power but was just wide of the mark as it ruffled the side netting creating the illusion of a last minute winner.
The final whistle brought an end to what was another frustrating night at Yankee Stadium.
“Three games at home and two points is not good enough for a football club like New York City” as Patrick Vieira’s wait for a first home win in charge goes on…
Carl Gozem - Sixth Borough Blues