NEW YORK CITY, NY – In what is expected to be Taty Castellanos’ last game for the club, the Pigeons managed two goals over the Herons to mark NYCFC’s fourth consecutive victory defeating Inter Miami with a shutout at Yankee Stadium.
NYCFC wins in what could be Castellanos’ last game for the club
46. BACK ON FROM THE BX 👏
🗽 1-0 🦩 | #NYCvMIA pic.twitter.com/YUjAhdRCS8
— New York City Football Club (@NYCFC) July 24, 2022
Castellanos notches an early assist to grab NYCFC the lead
NYCFC would spark the attack early. For example, they found an opportunity first in the 11-minute from distance which was put over the bar by Maxi Moralez. NYCFC kept pressing though, in the 12-minute, as Santiago Rodríguez won the ball off Alejandro Pozuelo and pushed towards the goal. With Rodríguez able to slide the ball across to Castellanos now at the edge of the box, the Argentinian would flick a quick pass to Moralez running into the box.
With the ball taking a touch from Miami’s Ryan Sailor, Moralez would find himself at a weird angle from goal with the keeper in his way but hitting it one-time and low would send the shot through goalkeeper Drake Callender’s legs for a 1-0 lead to the home side.
🤩 @mmoralezoficial with the first goal of the season ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/4aqqT60NTe
— New York City Football Club (@NYCFC) July 23, 2022
In the 25-minute, it would be Miami’s attempt to answer back. This started on a long-ball from Jean Mota played over the top of NYCFC’s defensive line for Kieran Gibbs. As Tayvon Gray retreated to catch him, Gibbs nodded a header just over the defender and would let the ball take a bounce inside the box before firing a shot on goal which forced a reaction save from Sean Johnson to keep it level.
Taty Castellanos’s goal was called offside
Castellanos would almost place his goalscoring stamp on this game in the 33-minute after some passing in the midfield worked the ball to Moralez to develop the attack. Moralez would play a ball for Malte Amundsen fairly open on the wing but with three defenders inside the box now marking a trailing Castellanos. Despite the 3-on-1 in favor of Miami, Castellanos would use his quickness to get a foot to a solid but low cross from Amundsen for a one-touch shot that couldn’t be saved by Callender.
However, with Castellanos off celebrating in front of the NYCFC fans at the corner flag, the goal was waved off on an offside call just prior to the shot returning the scoreline to 1-0.
Miami would cap the first half with a 37-minute opportunity as Christopher McVey from deep found Gonzalo Higuaín making a run into the area but chased by two NYCFC defenders. After dribbling in almost a circle, the Real Madrid legend would pick out Gibbs making a great run on goal but firing the shot directly at Johnson for an easy blocked save and clearance.
Castellanos farewell in possibly last game for NYCFC
In just the 61-minute, NYCFC would make their first substitution of the match bringing on Héber in exchange for Castellanos with the crowd giving him a standing ovation in what is presumed to be the forward’s last game for the club.
Taty Castellanos subbed off to roars of applause from the #NYCFC fans as they pay respects to a club legend pic.twitter.com/DFCQb6GZYy
— Riley Frain (@rileyfrain) July 24, 2022
And it wouldn’t take long for the substitute to make his mark. Gray worked the ball from the right wing to a central Gabriel Pereira who subsequently slide a pass to Rodríguez in the 75-minute. Now making a timed run in behind Rodríguez was Amundsen who received a pass in stride and tried to send a cross into the mass of black and sky blue jerseys inside the box before the ball took a deflection from DeAndre Yedlin. The one who was able to take a jump step backward and slide to meet the now bouncing ball was Héber. He slid and just barely touched it into the goal to grab NYCFC a 2-0 advantage with 15 minutes to play.
In the right place 📍 at the right time ⏰ @Heber__Araujo pic.twitter.com/nKrhJtJdXk
— New York City Football Club (@NYCFC) July 24, 2022
Inter Miami would manage two final chances starting in the 89-minute after winning a free kick and lining up to take it would be Higuaín from about twelve feet outside the far right corner of the box as NYCFC sent three men into the wall to protect. Without much fanfare, Higuaín would hit the ball right at Johnson for an easy save from the keeper.
The last few moments of the game and games coming up for both teams
Miami would follow this up in the 90-minute with some good passing from the defensive line to work the ball up towards Yedlin who’d hit a back-heel pass into the feet of Emerson Rodríguez. With Rodríguez now breaking into the box he’d fire a shot on goal forcing another save from Johnson who left himself vulnerable for a rebound as Noah Allen prepared to pounce but was beaten out by Pereira for a clearance.
Despite three minutes of added time, NYCFC tightened up defensively and wouldn’t allow another opportunity from Miami. As a result, they closed out the game with a 2-0 win for the club’s fourth consecutive victory. Following this matchup at Yankee Stadium, NYCFC will prepare to take on CF Montreal in Canada next Saturday while Miami will host FC Cincinnati that same afternoon.
Photo Credit: NYCFC on July 23, 2022.
