NYCFC is undefeated at home & leads the eastern conference
The Boys in Blue returned to Queens for another home fixture of the regular season. The victory midweek against D.C. United placed them a win away from first place. It wasn't an easy task as Chicago Fire arrived with a draw from their match against the Red Bulls. If you add that Chicago had Xaquiri as their primary asset, the team was up for a challenge. I doubt that not having Castellanos would imply extra pressure right? In fact, The reading of the match had two storylines. Was the team going to successfully stop Xaquiri? But most importantly, Could the team score without Taty on the field? Both are great questions that were answered to some extent after the match.
NYCFC dominates in the U.S. Open Cup
After a two-year absence, the U.S Open Cup made a triumphant return to the tri-state area. NYCFC hosted Rochester New York FC at Belson Stadium in Queens. This was the first time both sides met, so there was not much background for a preview ahead of the match. Despite this, there's always a little room for moments of magic. The format allows teams from lower divisions to face off against the “big clubs”, so upsets are just waiting to happen. I'm sure Rochester wanted to have an early impact, especially knowing the MLS Champions was the rival to beat.
NYCFC continues the scoring streak against San Jose
It was a perfect day for soccer in the Bronx. The sun was shining as the team returned to Yankee Stadium to host the San Jose Earthquakes. NYCFC was enjoying a streak of back-to-back victories in their return to the regular season. While the victory against Toronto was payback for the defeat a few weeks ago, the 5-4 scoreline raised some concerns in regards to the team's ability to defend set-piece plays. However, Alexander Callens dismissed those concerns prior to the match. “I'm happy to see that the guys are starting to feel more comfortable with their roles, I wasn't happy with the mistakes, but these things happen. We addressed these issues in training and we will improve for the match against San Jose”. The match was set and with the momentum on NYCFC’s side, the climb to the top of the conference was assured.
NYCFC bows out of the CCL with a draw
The CONCACAF Champions League entered the decisive stages this week with the second leg of the semifinals. In another showdown between Liga MX and MLS, Mexican club Pumas was waiting for his rival between Seattle Sounders and NYCFC. The winner will fight for international representation for the region in the next Club World Cup. The recognition was a good incentive for the participating teams. Having the reigning MLS champions in the final four definitely raised the expectations ahead of the match on Wednesday. However, Seattle walked away with a considerable advantage from the first game. Leaving NYCFC with an uphill battle on home ground.
NYCFC II takes a step toward the future
It was yet another eventful weekend for NYCFC and soccer in New York. The MLSNextPro saw the day view of NYCFC II as they hosted New England Revolution II at ST. John’s University in Queens. It was the opportunity to see the future of “The Boys in Blue” since we will see a few of these players with the first team down the road. The scheduling was set up to have a big turnout. A 5 pm kick-off time without having first-team action due to the international break allowed fans to come out and support the team. On paper, it was a great way to start this new chapter.