NYCFC shu
By Juan Carlos Maygua
Yankee Stadium saw another memorable night for New York sports. The MLS playoffs brought national attention to the Bronx. A night of soccer on a baseball field has always been criticized, but the atmosphere was perfect to silence the critics for 90 minutes. Having approximately 20k fans in attendance not only proved to be the best attendance number for the season but assured that the Bronx is a fortress for NYCFC. It was win, or go home against Atlanta United, having closed the regular season on a high note. The team was determined to fight until the end, having the golden boot winner in your frontline made possibilities endless.
Unbreakable
It was going to be a tough task from beginning to end. Atlanta United improved since Gonzalo Pineda’s arrival as a manager. He revitalized players like Josef Martinez, who was key to the team’s success in recent years. Atlanta had practiced set pieces and played scrimmage games in fields with exact dimensions to the ones in Yankee Stadium. The visitors were more than prepared. In contrast, NYCFC arrived with a defensive line affected by the international break. Callens returned with a small injury and James Sands saw action with the National team. But seeing them in the starting lineup assured a solid backline. Tayvon Gray played his best game, neutralizing Josef Martinez for most of the match. Callens was solid with tackles and defensive coordination. The first 45 minutes were close to perfection in terms of defense for NYCFC.
The second half was more dynamic for the boys in blue. Maxi Moralez pulled the strings creatively for the team. His movement in midfield and the attacking front alongside Castellanos was a headache for the Atlanta defense. There were a few hard tackles against him as a result. The experience he brings to the team was at full display against Atlanta, enough for a new contract in my opinion. Nevertheless, the team dominated after halftime. The breakthrough came in the 49th minute by the man of the moment Valentin Castellanos. It might not have been the best goal for him this season, it was enough to open the scoreboard. A shot that bounced off the floor and dipped in goal was weird to see but signaled his 20th goal of the season.
The second and final goal came almost instantly and it was ironically off a set-piece. Maxi Moralez changed things up a little by taking a shot from outside the box. It was saved by Brad Guzan at first, but Alexander Callens was quick to head the rebound towards the goal. The Peruvian international later revealed that his appearance in the starting lineup was a last-minute decision, a good call from the coaching staff to say the least. NYCFC secured the match after the second goal and ran the clock down from that point on. However, Atlanta did create two very dangerous chances, but Johnson made sure they didn’t have a chance to fight back. He kept a clean sheet and closed out a memorable night for both the team and the fans in attendance.
NYCFC will face the New England Revolution for the playoff semifinals. The best team in the eastern conference this season will be the next challenge for the team’s trophy ambitions. It will be interesting to see how the team prepares for that match, but for now, it’s ok to celebrate such a great victory.