CF Montréal v. New York City FC Decision Day
New York (Oct 17, 2024) — Today, New York City FC held its pre-match press conference ahead of our match against CF Montréal.
Below you will find video of the press conference featuring Head Coach Nick Cushing and Midfielder Keaton Parks.
New York City FC Head Coach Nick Cushing
On the preparation for this year’s Decision Day compared to last year…
“The preparation [heading into Decision Day] is fairly similar to last year in the sense of the intensity that we’ve trained at. The buy-in and the focus of the team are very similar. The difference is we’re fighting for a totally different opportunity. This time last year, we were trying to get in, and this year we’re in and we’re now fighting for position. That was the aim and the goal at the start of the year, to be in a position to finish in the top four. We have that opportunity. We’re pleased with that, but for us, it’s about momentum now. We’ve got the momentum. We’ve got a real good feel about the group. There’s energy within the group and that has to continue going into the playoffs. Fourth place is our target, and our eyes are on that.”
On what challenges and opportunities will Montréal present…
“The first challenge will be that they have to get a result to get in, so they’re going to be hugely motivated. They’re at home in front of a sellout crowd… They’re a really good football team, really well-coached. The new Head Coach, Laurent [Courtois], has coached them really well…They have a number nine, Josef Martínez, who is in form and scoring goals. We know that this game is going to be really difficult. We’re going to have to be at our best. We’re going to have to be incredibly focused throughout the game because when they play well, they’re a top team.”
New York City FC Midfielder Keaton Parks
Comparing last year’s Decision Day to this year’s and if there is a difference in mentality…
“It’s just motivation. Last year, we had a chance, but it was a small chance. This year, we don’t want to leave anything up to chance. We want to take it. We want to get this home-field advantage. We want to finish in the top four, and we’re fighting every day. I don’t think we’re content with where we’re at, and I don’t think we’ll be content unless we win the cup this year. So, that’s what we’re pushing for. A win on Saturday is the first step for that.”
On how vital it is to win home field advantage in the playoffs…
“We love to play at home. I think everybody knows that. Our fans are great, and we like to be in New York… We want to have the two games at home if it comes to that, and that’s what we’re fighting for.”
On going into Decision Day in form and comparisons to the 2021 season…
“Thinking back on how everybody was feeling and that run of games that led into playoffs, it is very similar. It has a lot of the same feelings. We just have to keep carrying the momentum forward. The playoff format is different than in 2021, and we’re going to have different opponents and stuff, so it’s not exactly the same. It’s not the same team or anything, but it’s a similar feeling. We ought to take this [opportunity] and treat it as a whole new moment.”
Key Points
Decision Day in Montréal
New York City FC looks to end the 2024 MLS regular season strong against fellow Eastern Conference side Club de Foot Montréal.
Having met three months ago on July 3, New York claimed victory once already this season against Montréal, winning 2-0.
Forward Alonso Martínez scored the first goal of the match in the ninth minute, with an assist from Midfielder Hannes Wolf.
The second goal would come early in the second half, when Martínez grabbed his second goal of the game in the 56th minute, with the assist once again coming from Wolf, as well as a second assist from Midfielder James Sands.
Goalkeeper Matt Freese made four saves in the match, in addition to a clean sheet.
In regular season history, the ‘Boys in Blue’ have been dominant against CF Montréal, with a record of 12-2-5 (W-L-D), scoring 33 goals and conceding 13.
New York City FC is currently on a six-match unbeaten streak against the Canadian side, winning five and drawing one in this run.
On the road, New York City FC has only lost once to Montréal, with an overall record of 5-1-2.
New York has earned points in their last two matches at Stade Saputo, winning 1-0 in their last outing on July 1, 2023, and drawing 0-0 on July 30, 2022.
Against Club de Foot Montréal, New York has scored nine goals between the 76th and 90th minute of play (including second-half stoppage time), the most of any 15-minute interval.
In 19 matchups, New York City has found the back of the net in 17 of them. They’ve scored two or more goals in 10 of those matches.
Midfielder Maxi Moralez is currently tied with former New York City FC Midfielder Tommy McNamara as the joint all-time series leader in assists against CF Montréal, with three assists.
Martínez is tied with former New York City FC Forward David Villa as the joint all-time series game-high leader in goals, with two goals.
Of the current New York roster, Moralez leads in all categories against Montréal, including games played (12), minutes played (907), goals scored (2), assists (3), and shots (21).
Martínez joins Moralez as the top goal scorer against Montréal of the current New York roster, also with two goals.
Other current New York players who have scored against Club de Foot Montréal include Midfielder Santiago Rodríguez (1), Midfielder Keaton Parks (1), and Forward Mounsef Bakrar (1).
Other current New York players that have collected an assist against CF Montréal include Rodríguez (2), Wolf (2), Parks (1), Goalkeeper Luis Barraza (1), Defender Birk Risa (1), and Midfielder James Sands (1).
On The Road Season Recap
New York City FC’s last match of the 2024 MLS regular season will be on the road, and the ‘Boys in Blue’ will be looking to end the season with a three-match unbeaten streak away from home.
This season, New York has an away record of 4-7-5 (W-L-D), scoring 19 goals and conceding 22.
Of the 19 goals scored on the road, five goals were scored within the 1st and 15th minute, two were scored between the 16th and 30th minute, five were scored between the 31st and 45th minute (including first-half stoppage time), one was scored between the 46th and 60th minute, two were scored between the 61st and 75th minute, and four were scored between the 76th and 90th minute (including second-half stoppage time).
Of the 16 road games, the ‘Boys in Blue’ scored at least one goal in ten matches, with a record of 4-2-4 (W-L-D) in those ten games.
New York has scored two or more goals on the road in five matches this season, with a record of 3-1-1 (W-L-D) in those games.
Players that have scored on the road this season for New York include Alonso Martínez (5), Midfielder Andrés Perea (3), Santiago Rodríguez (2), Hannes Wolf (2), Mounsef Bakrar (2), Maxi Moralez (1), Defender Tayvon Gray (1), Forward Malachi Jones (1), Forward Talles Magno (1), and Keaton Parks (1).
Players that have assisted on the road this season include Tayvon Gray (4), Keaton Parks (3), Hannes Wolf (3), Santiago Rodríguez (2), Forward Agustín Ojeda (1), Andrés Perea (1), Alonso Martínez (1), James Sands (1), Forward Kevin O’Toole (1), and Maxi Moralez (1).
The fastest goal away from home this season came courtesy of Martínez in the second minute on May 15 against the Philadelphia Union.
The latest goal away from home this year came from Bakrar in the 86th minute on August 31 against the Columbus Crew.
The fastest goal conceded in an away match this season came in the first minute of the match, 21 seconds exactly, on July 17 against Atlanta United, courtesy of Forward Daniel Rios.
The latest goal conceded in an away match this season came on August 31st against the Columbus Crew in the 90+10th minute via Midfielder Jacob Russell-Rowe.
New York scored the first goal of the match on the road on seven occasions. When scoring first on the road, New York City FC has a record of 4-2-1 (W-L-D).
Players that opened the scoresheet on the road include Alonso Martínez (2), Santiago Rodríguez (2), Keaton Parks (1), Andrés Perea (1), and Maxi Moralez (1).
With one away match left in the regular season, New York has four wins, which is tied for the fifth most in NYC history (2015, 2018, 2020, 2021). The most wins away stands at seven.
With one game left, the ‘Boys in Blue’ have a chance to collect five wins this season, which would rank fifth most and the first time having won five away games.
New York currently has 17 points on the road this season, which is tied for the fifth most in New York City FC history (2021). The most points at home were 26.
With one road game remaining, New York has the chance to reach 20 points. This would mark the fifth-highest total in the club’s history and the first time they’ve achieved 20 points on the road in a single season.
The ‘Boy’s in Blue’ has conceded 22 goals in away matches this season, which ties for the second least in club history, previously achieved in 2022.
New York City FC has kept two clean sheets on the road this season (against New England Revolution and Chicago Fire). The ‘Boys in Blue’ earned one win and one draw in those games.
New York City FC’s highest winning margin away from home this season is four, when New York defeated the Red Bulls 5-1 on September 28.
This is also the most goals New York has scored on the road this season.
New York’s largest losing margin this season is two, which took place on three occasions (vs. St Louis City on March 2, losing 2-0; vs. LA Galaxy on June 19, losing 2-0; and vs. Columbus Crew on August 31, losing 4-2).
The 4-2 loss to the Columbus Crew is the most goals New York has conceded in an away match this season.
The ‘Boys in Blue’ Season Ending Statistics
There have been contributions across the New York City FC squad to both scoring goals and preventing goals, coming from a multitude of players.
Alonso Martínez has scored a goal in the last three New York City FC matches, scoring four goals in total in the last three.
Additionally, he had a streak of contributing to goals in three matches, totaling three goals and one assist (one assist on 7/20 vs Orlando City, two goals on 8.24 vs Chicago Fire, and one goal on 8.31 vs Columbus Crew.)
Martínez also had two previous streaks of goal contributions this season, each lasting two games (three goals on 5/31 vs. San Jose, one assist on 6/14 vs Columbus Crew; one assist vs Orlando City on 6/28, two goals vs CF Montréal on 7/3).
Overall this season, Martínez has scored 16 goals, along with three assists.
Santiago Rodríguez has contributed to goals in his last two matches, scoring once and assisting once against FC Cincinnati on October 2 and scoring two goals against Nashville SC on October 6.
Rodríguez has had four other goal-contribution streaks this season.
March 9 vs. Portland (one goal), March 16 vs. Toronto FC (one goal)
April 20 vs. D.C. United (one goal and one assist), April 27 vs. Charlotte FC (one assist)
May 11 vs. Toronto FC (one goal), May 15 vs. Philadelphia Union (one assist), May 18 vs. Red Bulls (one assist)
May 31 vs. San Jose Earthquakes (one goal and one assist) and June 14 vs. Columbus Crew (one goal and one assist)
This season, Rodríguez has scored 12 goals and assisted ten times in regular season play.
Maxi Moralez has had consecutive goal contributions on two occasions this season in MLS play.
May 31 vs. San Jose Earthquakes (one assist) and June 14 vs. Columbus Crew (one assist)
September 28 vs. Red Bulls (one goal and one assist) and October 2 vs FC Cincinnati (one assist)
Hannes Wolf has had goal contribution streaks on two occasions as well this season, both lasting three games.
May 11 vs. Toronto FC (two assists), May 15 vs. Philadelphia Union (one goal), and May 18 vs. Red Bulls (one goal and one assist)
June 28 vs. Orlando City (one goal), July 3 vs. CF Montréal (two assists), and July 6 vs. Austin FC (one assist)
James Sands has also had a run of goal contributions on two occasions, both lasting two games each.
June 28 vs. Orlando City SC (one assist) and July 3 vs. CF Montréal (one assist)
September 18 vs. Philadelphia Union (one assist) and September 21 vs. Inter Miami CF (one goal)
Other players that have had one streak of goal contributions include Forward Julián Fernández (4/13 vs. New England, one goal; 4/20 vs. D.C. United, one goal; 4/27 vs. Charlotte, one assist), Andrés Perea (5/11 vs. Toronto, one goal; 5/15 vs. Philadelphia, one assist), and Tayvon Gray (5/18 vs. Red Bulls, one assist; 5/25 vs. New England, one assist).
Rodríguez has had more than one goal contribution in a single game in MLS play this season on six occasions, more than any New York player.
Other players that have had more than one goal contribution in a single game this season include Martínez (four times), Wolf (three times), Gray (two times), Ojeda (one time), Parks (one time), and Moralez (one time).
Goalkeeper Matt Freese has been crucial in preventing goals against for the ‘Boys in Blue’ this season, including two nine-save games, against Columbus on June 14 and against Toronto on May 11.
Nine saves in a single game is the most for Freese this season.
In the game against Columbus, Freese faced 12 shots on target, which is the most Freese has faced all season in MLS play.
Freese has kept five clean sheets this season.
On May 25, Freese made six saves against the New England Revolution, the highest number of saves by a New York goalkeeper while securing a clean sheet this season.
Switching back to scoring goals, Martínez leads all New York players this season in goals per 90 minutes (1.02).
Rodríguez leads the ‘Boys in Blue’ in goals and assists combined, with 22.
Martínez is second with 19, and Wolf is third with 13.
Rodríguez and Martínez lead the way for New York in xG this season, with Rodríguez having the slight advantage with 10.94, compared to Martínez’s 10.47.
From the penalty spot, Rodríguez has scored four times this season, the most of any New York City FC player.
Rodríguez has not missed a penalty this season.
Talles Magno is the only other New York player to have scored a penalty this season, with one goal from the spot.
