New York City Football Club secured a big win on Wednesday night against CF Montréal.
The Boys in Blue ran out 2-0 winners thanks to goals from Andres Jasson and Mounsef Bakrar.
Here are Five Points from the game…
Big win
Nick Cushing delivered a clear message in his pre-game press conference; this was a huge opportunity for NYCFC.
The Head Coach confirmed afterward that the team still had a significant amount of hard work to perform if they are to finish the season above the line.
The first step of that journey was taken on Wednesday, and the key now is to use that to build momentum in the upcoming home games. Cushing was keen to enjoy the moment before drawing focus back to the training pitch and the hard work required to deliver a second straight win on Saturday.
Vancouver awaits, but for now the team can just enjoy making the first step on their journey.
Jasson Scores
Andres Jasson enjoyed a memorable moment on Wednesday night as he notched his first goal at Yankee Stadium.
The homegrown forward displayed a brilliant combination of technique and composure to open the scoring on the half-hour mark and double his tally for the season. Jasson has had to be patient for opportunities in 2023, but against Montréal he showed Nick Cushing what he can bring to the team.
A bright cameo against FC Cincinnati was up followed by a strong start against Montréal. His driving run and brilliant finish gave NYCFC a priceless lead and forced Montréal to reconsider their strategy. Securing his first goal in front of the NYCFC home crowd at Yankee Stadium was a special moment for Jasson, and represented years of hard work and dedication.
Furthermore, his ability to both create chances and score goals could be huge for NYCFC during the run in.
Clean Sheet
One of the main habits successful teams possess is the ability to keep clean sheets.
While three points against CF Montréal was vital on Wednesday, it was enhanced by the fact the team also managed to limit their opposition in the final third and keep a clean sheet.
Matt Freese was handed a start in goal and he produced several important stops to deny Montréal, which was reflective of a strong defensive showing by the whole team..
NYCFC’s last clean sheet came in early July – also against Montréal – and entering into the weekend with that momentum is a sizable boost, and may help the team record back-to-back wins.
New Signings Shine
NYCFC were on the hunt for a second goal and it didn’t take long to arrive.
Birk Risa’s pass and Mounsef Bakrar’s finish represented a brilliant combination play and showed just why the Club were so keen to bring the pair to the Five Boroughs.
Risa’s inch-perfect curled pass into space gave Bakrar the chance to win a foot race, and his well-timed run, caught out the Montréal backline. From there, he settled himself, before producing a composed finish to double NYCFC’s advantage and secure his first goal in MLS.
The pair linked up perfectly and in doing so, showed just why they will no doubt prove to be major assets to the Boys in Blue going forward.
Atmosphere
Nick Cushing asked, and you delivered.
The atmosphere at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday was boisterous and when the team needed a lift you were there as the 12th man. Cushing made a point to highlight the influence the home crowd can make on proceedings, and that was definitely the case against Montréal.
"We're going to need all our fans," Cushing said after the game.
"We're going to need the atmosphere of Yankee Stadium because tonight when we were under pressure we could hear the fans. We're going to have to be really realistic, and we're going to have to fight.”
The same will be true on Saturday against Vancouver. If there’s another strong showing in the stands and on the field and the team will have taken another giant step toward a post-season spot.
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