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NYCFC’s second-half push sees win over Toronto FC

NYCFC forward Thiago Andrade on August 11, 2021

NEW YORK CITY, NY – Despite the switch to Citi Field and going down 2-1 early, NYCFC’s second-half push sees a win as the club secures back-to-back victories on a 5-4 defeat of Toronto FC.

NYCFC’s second-half push gives them a 5-1 win

Toronto takes advantage to find an early lead

It wouldn’t take long for the first opportunity of the match to come as in the thirteenth minute Toronto’s Kosi Thompson received the ball just outside the right edge of the box. With a flick to Jonathan Osorio breaking towards goal, he dribbled and managed a centering pass to Jesús Jiménez. Despite the traffic, Jiménez slotted a shot just beyond goalkeeper Sean Johnson’s reach for a 1-0 TFC lead.

NYCFC would strike next with a sixteenth-minute corner opportunity slammed into the top right of goal by Valentín “Taty” Castellanos. But upon further review from VAR, the goal was eventually waved off to maintain the Toronto advantage.

With the game back underway it would be Kosi Thompson in the twenty-seventh minute with a gorgeously weighted pass into the path of Jiménez. One-on-one with Sean Johnson, it would be a simple chip from the Spaniard to extend Toronto’s lead to 2-0.

Following multiple one-on-one opportunities saved by Alex Bono, NYCFC would find a breakthrough in the thirty-eighth minute just before the half. Picking up a short pass forward from Keaton Parks, Thiago Andrade would dribble into the top of Toronto’s defensive area. On a swift pass to Taty running toward the penalty spot, the Argentinian would slide and push it on goal to bring New York City within one.

 

NYCFC’s second-half push sees a win with a four-goal performance

Driving down the wing to start the second half would be Malte Amundsen in the forty-ninth minute, catching up to a pass from Santiago Rodríguez. A one-touch pass to Talles Magno, he’d have a shot directed towards a goal just barely blocked by Toronto’s Carlos Salcedo. As the ball petered out towards the touchline, Thiago Andrade was in the right place to tap it home and tie the game.

Quickly following it, Alexander Callens would win a turnover sparking the attack as Taty pushed forward in the fifty-fourth minute. A tight pass would find the feat of Rodríguez inside the box who curved it on goal for New York City’s first lead of the night at 3-2.

Now in the fifty-seventh minute with NYCFC again winning a turnover, Malte Amundsen would secure possession. An excellent pass into the box was initially “dummied” by Keaton Parks, it looked like Thiago Andrade would have the chance. But a slight deflection put the ball back into Parks’ path for a simple goal, his first of the season.

NYCFC’s last goal would come in the seventy-fifth minute off yet another turnover as Talles Magno dispossessed Toronto’s Alejandro Pozuelo and passed to Rodríguez. Taking space before being tackled with no foul called, Rodríguez would hand the ball back to Magno who carried it for a few steps. The ball eventually worked its way to Gabriel Pereira just inside the box who hit the perfect finish, placing it between two Toronto defenders and just out of Bono’s grasp for a 5-2 advantage.

Toronto adds on two more to cut it close

Toronto, however, would not go down easily earning a corner opportunity in the eighty-sixth minute of play. Pozuelo taking, it would be Deandre Kerr rising to meet it with his head and knocking it in, breathing some life back into TFC only down 5-3 now.

And with four minutes added to the original time, Toronto would manage one final chance come the ninetieth minute. Earning a free-kick just outside the box, Pozuelo again taking it would find Michael Bradley drawing his side back within one. But unfortunately for Bob Bradley and TFC, they couldn’t secure another opportunity in the closing minutes with NYCFC seeing out the 5-4 win.

Last Word: Great comeback win from NYCFC but the defense needs some stability

After going down early, it was nice to see a resilient NYCFC pull back even, especially after playing a solid first half which included some excellent goalkeeping from Bono and the Taty goal called back by VAR. And starting the second half so explosive is hopefully a good sign of things to come for Ronny Deila’s slightly new offensive scheme.

Still, allowing four goals on a consistent basis isn’t going to get you a lot of wins, particularly against stronger opponents like Toronto. But as Deila stated post-game

“I’d rather win 5-4 than 1-0 it’s more fun for everyone… except maybe me.”

New York City FC and Toronto FC have one win each this year against each other. Both teams faced each other on April 2, where TFC won the game 2-1. NYCFC’s next game will be against the San Jose Earthquakes on Sunday, May. 1 at 1:00 p.m. ET. The game will take place at Yankee Stadium and will be shown live on YES APP, NYCFC.com/Radio, and MLS LIVE on DAZN. This is while TFC will host FC Cincinnati at BMO Field. The game will take place on Saturday, April. 30 at 1:00 p.m. ET.

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