New York City FC beats Toronto FC 5-4 off five unanswered goals
Courtesy: NYCFC
By Chris Tsakonas
A span of five unanswered goals was the difference for New York City FC, defeating Toronto FC 5-4 at Citi Field earlier today.
Toronto FC scored the opening goal in the 13th minute, as Kosi Thompson squared a ball in the box that was finished Jesus Jimenez.
Jimenez got a second goal off a long ball from Thompson into the box in the 28th minute, and New York City FC found themselves down 2-0 despite only allowing two shots in the entire first half.
“[I’m] incredibly proud and impressed about what kind of quality there is in this team,” manager Ronny Deila said. “[When we went down 2-0] we just kept on doing the same things, we didn’t lose our temper or concentration or discipline.”
NYCFC finally got their answer in the 37th minute, as Taty Castellanos took a ball from Thiago Andrade and finished off a right footed shot. New York City couldn’t turn their offfensive pressure into a second goal before the first half whistle blew, and went into the locker room down 2-1 despite outshooting Toronto 10-2.
“I said to them in the break, ‘just be patient, there’s going to be more - keep on playing your role,’” Deila said.
New York City FC equalized quickly out of the halftime break. In the 49th minute, Talles Magno played a ball across the box that was tapped in at the back right post by Thiago to make it 2-2.
The go-ahead goal or NYCFC came just five minutes later, as Castellanos collected the ball at the top of the box and tplayed a through ball on the right for Santi Rodriguez, who finished to get the 3-2 lead.
New York City FC continued the scoring onslaught in the 58th minute, when Malte Aamundsen played a ball along the ground into the box that was deflected to the feet of Keaton Parks, and he scored from the edge of the six yard box to make it 4-2.
The fifth unanswered goal came in the 76th minute. Magno collected the ball after the referee played advantage on a tackle in the midfield, threading the ball for Gabriel Pereira to finish from the right side. With less than 15 to play, it was 5-2 NYCFC.
Toronto finally got back on the scoresheet in the 86th minute, when a corner from Alejandro Pozuelo was served into the box for Deandre Kerr to head past Sean Johnson, making it a 5-3 New York City lead.
A hard challenge from Alfredo Morales on Jordan Peruzza led to a second yellow card, putting NYCFC down a man for the dying moments of the match. Michael Bradley made it 5-4 on the ensuing free kick, heading home a free kick from Pozuelo from the edge of the 18 yard box.
New York City FC have now won back to back MLS matches for the first time this season, improving to 7th in the Eastern Conference with 10 points on a 3-3-1 record. They return to action next Sunday, hosting the San Jose Earthquakes.