New York City FC suffered a 3-1 defeat against Nashville SC on Friday night.
Here’s Five Points from a tough night at Nissan Stadium, presented by Etihad Airways…
Double Blow
New York City FC started the game against Nashville SC the better of the two sides.
The Boys in Blue were quick and decisive on the ball, but in a split second they found themselves behind thanks to Dax McCarty and Hany Mukhtar. If the first goal was a frustrating setback, to concede a second so quickly only reinforced that sentiment.
Unfortunately, a turnover in possession and a mistake by Vuk Latinovich handed the hosts a second, and while NYCFC didn’t give up until the final whistle, it was the second goal the felt like such a major moment in the game in terms of shifting the momentum firmly in favor of our hosts.
Red Mist
The double dismissal of Maxi Moralez and Dax McCarty was a huge moment in the game.
To lose Maxi Moralez was a blow. While Nashville had the advantage of two goals, it wouldn’t be unfair to say that NYCFC had created chances and shown themselves to be a threat. Removing a player from either side created more space on the field and made the pattern of the game more pronounced.
That allowed Nashville to orchestrate more counter-attacking opportunities – a key aspect of their first-half strategy – and made it harder for NYCFC to break through a defensive line that sat deep.
Moralez will be the first to admit he should have handled the situation better, but that doesn’t change that his dismissal was a blow for NYCFC.
Menacing Mukhtar
We covered the threat of Hany Mukhtar extensively in our Keys to the Match, and the attacker delivered emphatically.
Nashville SC Head Coach Gary Smith’s decision to afford Mukhtar creative freedom to roam around the field paid off. For the first goal, it was Mukhtar’s run from deep that caught the NYCFC backline out. For the second, he showed composure to play Daniel Rios in before his cross was turned in by Vuk Latinovich.
The third goal highlighted his understanding with CJ Sapong, and it completed what had been a good night for the attacker by securing him a brace. NYCFC have every right to be disappointed with the result, but they must also acknowledge that in Mukhtar, they came up against a worthy opponent that made the difference for his team when it mattered most.
Gedion Is Back
The second half of Friday’s game represented a welcome return for Gedion Zelalem.
The midfielder first joined NYCFC in January 2020, but he has been attempting to regain momentum after a difficult spell with injury. He was able to make the bench for last month’s Leagues Cup match, and Friday’s return was another important step.
His twenty-minute cameo provided a sharp reminder of what he is capable of, with Zelalem offering a thrust forward and quality on the ball when passing from deeper positions. The 24-year-old’s skills mesh well with Ronny Deila’s tactical identity, and his return to the fold could prove important as we move into the next stage of the campaign.
Vuk Steps In
Vuk Latinovich has been a welcome addition to the New York City FC squad after being drafted earlier this year, and Friday night represented his first start for the Club.
Latinovich looked calm and composed on the ball during the early exchanges, and when it came to defending he was assertive and confident in stepping towards the ball. Overall, the result didn’t go quite how we would have wanted.
“That’s what I said to him afterwards - he did a lot of good things out there,” Ronny Deila said. “Of course he was involved in things but, but many things were really good as well and without practicing, you never get better. Today he test himself against a team haven't lost at home, so that was also a tough, tough away game to go to. And we learned something as a team and also individuals. We got a lot of pictures to work on. And also, a lot of positive things that we can take with us during the game as well.”
