NYCFC First game winning this season
The New York City FC finally tie the knock in winning game, gladly Steven Mendoza came off the bench and to score the game-winner in the 73rd minute to lift New York City FC to a 3-2 win against the Vancouver Whitecaps in front of 25,438 fans at Yankee Stadium Saturday sunny afternoon.
After the visitors in 1:05 minute goal took the lead, David Villa struck twice in a six-minute span to give NYCFC a 2-1 halftime lead.
Villa tied the score in the 35th minute after Khiry Shelton dispossessed Andrew Jacobson and slipped to Villa on the right. The captain took a touch into the box and fired a low shot from 15 yards out inside the far post.
Six minutes later, Villa netted his second, latching onto a far post Andrea Pirlo corner and putting a side volley from eight yards out past Vancouver goalkeeper David Ousted.
The Whitecaps leveled in the 63rd minute when Christian Bolanos followed his own saved penalty kick and tapped in the rebound after referee Sorin Stoica ruled Ethan White pulled down Kekuta Manneh inside the box.
Mendoza put NYCFC back in front in the 73 minute, settling a Tommy McNamara cross that deflected off Vancouver defender Tim Parker and putting a low shot inside the near post from 16 yards out.
Mendoza nearly had a second, but he hammered a shot off the crossbar in the 90th minute. David Villa erased an early deficit by scoring twice in a six-minute span to give NYCFC a 2-1 halftime lead. It was his third brace of the season and seventh of his NYCFC career.
His second goal of the game, and sixth of the season was a side volley off an Andrea Pirlo corner kick at the back post that will certainly be one of the goals of the year.
Patrick Vieira earned his first win at Yankee Stadium since becoming NYCFC coach. Steven Mendoza scored his first NYCFC goal, the game-winner in the 73 minute.
David Villa recored his third brace of the season, seventh of his career, fifth against a Canadian team by snapping a seven-game winless streak, NYCFC rocketed up to fourth in the Eastern Conference, one point behind Toronto FC and three behind first place Montreal.
Next up, NYCFC will play three straight road matches, beginning with a battle against D.C. United May 8. After taking on the Portland Timbers May 15 and Toronto FC May 18 NYCFC returns to Yankee Stadium to meet the New York Red Bulls May 21 at 3 p.m.
