New York City FC Get it Done in Queens

New York City FC got a crucial win at home on Wednesday night with a 2-0 defeat against Montreal. Midweek games can be tricky, but for NYCFC getting a result in the Wednesday game against Montreal was essential. New York City now face a four game road schedule but tonight was all smiles as they got not only three points but another clean sheet as well.

Montreal played well from the start but then shot themselves in the foot in the 9th minute with a clumsy back pass from George Campbell. that went to Hannes Wolf instead. The Austrian deftly passed the ball forward into the path of Alonso Martinez who was clinical with his strike and sent the ball into the back of the net.
The duo of Wolf and Martinez found each other again in the fifty Sixth minute with Wolf showing a fine bit of skill to juggle the ball and pass to a streaking Martinez who volleyed it home with one touch.

Jul 3, 2024; Queens, New York, USA; New York City FC forward Alonso Martinez (16) scores a goal as CF Montreal midfielder Nathan-Dylan Saliba (19) defends during the first half at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Boland-USA TODAY Sports

It was a night where there should have been more goals for the home side with NYCFC consistently finding space on the counter attack but not quite getting the final ball right. The possession stats actually favor Montreal who enjoyed more of the ball but did little with it in the end. New York City recorded sixteen shots and four big chances on the night converting on two of them. It was the Hannes Wolf and Alonso Martinez show on the night though with both players more than showing why they were selected for the starting positions.

Jul 3, 2024; Queens, New York, USA; New York City FC midfielder Hannes Wolf (17) controls the ball against CF Montreal defender Joaquin Sosa (3) during the second half at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Nick Cushing was effusive after the match about his club’s two last games.“You guys watch us week in, week out, and you can see when we’re good, you can feel when we’re good because it’s entertaining. It’s good to watch goal chances. My frustration tonight is for you guys and the fans. We should put three, four, five [goals]up, that’s a real New York performance. We missed too many chances tonight, but if we keep the expected goals at 2.1, 2.5, or 2,7, we’ll win football games… This comes down to all the guys having that real collective idea of how we attack the games. We do it, but as a young team, you’ve got to keep drilling it, you’ve got to keep being consistent and keep focusing on playing with that real ambition and that real intensity and aggression that we play with. We saw it in Toronto, we’ve seen it in Philadelphia. We didn’t see it in Nashville and LA. Now with Austin, we have a huge opportunity to play the performance that we know gives us a chance to win.” 

New York did suffer injuries to Maxi Moralez and Birk Risa putting both player’s status for Saturdays road match against Austin in doubt.