NYCFC first visit to DC new Audi Field, loss
New York City FC’s aim for this final road encounter of the Regular Season was clear: win in the District and City would kick off their playoff bid in the Bronx.
Domènec Torrent and his charges had 22 days to put things right after their defeat to Minnesota United last time out but, without the injured Jo Inge Berget and Maxi Moralez, away at the Eastern Conference’s form team, it would not be easy.
This assertion was borne out by the opening 10 minutes of play which saw a buoyant home side take advantage of any rustiness on the away team’s part.
First, Wayne Rooney will feel he should have scored inside the opening 60 seconds with a back post header which flashed wide and DC had the ball in the net four minutes later with a scrambled finish from a set-piece that was ruled out for offside.
If they were warning shots, they weren’t heeded, as the Boys in Blue fell behind on 8’ after Luciano Acosta slalomed through four defenders and cut the ball back for Rooney to bundle in.
It was a poor start from the road side but they rallied and were almost back in the game when David Villa got in on goal for the first time but former Blue Frederic Brillant did enough to force his old captain wide and El Guaje fired into the sidenetting.
Alexander Callens found the opposite sidenetting on 22’ with a header from a corner but the hosts broke up the other end and doubled their advantage two minutes later after a mazy run from Rooney paved the way for Acosta’s unstoppable strike.
2-0 down with less than a third of the game played, New York needed a reaction and shots from Taty Castellanos and David Villa, which were beaten away by Bill Hamid, seemed to signal some sign of resistance.
NYCFC continued to push on in the second period and Castellanos lifted a presentable opportunity over the bar shortly after the restart. Alex Ring was next to line up a shot after great build-up play from second half substitute Ismael Tajouri-Shradi but the Finn couldn’t get the requisite purchase on his volley from the edge of the box.
Herrera’s return from injury as a substitute came less than a minute before Rooney scored his second goal from the penalty spot after the linesman adjudged that Ring had handled in the area.
Villa briefly ignited hopes of a comeback with 12 minutes to go, scoring from an acute angle to maintain his place at the top of the NYC scoring charts but the Blues ran out of time.
NOTES
Yangel Herrera made his first appearance since May
David Villa scored his 13th goal of the season
This was New York City FC’s first visit to DC’s new Audi Field
City can clinch the third spot in the Eastern Conference with a win or draw vs Philadelphia on October 28
QUOTES
Head Coach Domènec Torrent:
On the final result…
“My feeling after the game is we gave away 20 minutes in the first half. I don’t understand what happened the first 20 minutes. We have a big, big problem when we play away because I say to them they have to play with confidence because they are maybe much better than what they think they are.”
On his team’s attitude in the match…
“I can accept [not playing well]. But I can’t accept about the attitude. And they have attitude because they’ve shown me many, many games. You have to play with confidence, if not it’s impossible to win in MLS and they are much, much better.”
On his message to the team before the second half…
“In the second half I said ‘you can play much better because you played much better than them at Yankee Stadium. Explain me the reason why you play different here.’ It’s about confidence, sometimes I don’t understand this because it’s the same players.”
On the importance of the next match against Philadelphia…
“It’s very important for our confidence to win that next game against Philadelphia. It’s not about just the one point, if you are able to win the game, you play the first game at home. And at home we are stronger than away, this is clear at least this year.”
NYCFC Goalkeeper Sean Johnson
On starting slowly in the first half…
“I think they came out more intensively than us. We didn’t battle from the first whistle at a place like this.”
On playing after a break…
“Can’t blame it on the break. We have eleven guys on the field prepared to [do] a job and it just comes down to us.”
On getting momentum into the playoffs…
“It’s really important. We have one more opportunity to secure a home playoff game. Fortunately we’re still in that position to control our own destiny. It’s got to be better.”
NYCFC Midfielder Alexander Ring:
On playing on the road…
“The first 20 minutes today we weren’t confident enough…I don’t think it’s in our heads, it’s just that we’re playing a different way. The team hasn’t changed from the start of the season so it’s up to us players to just match energy.
On how confidence influences soccer…
“Confidence is a part of it in the way you want to play, not playing long balls but playing our own style, and we started doing that after we went down today.”
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