New York City FC suffered an unfortunate defeat on Decision Day.
Goals from Caden Clark and Josef Martínez handed CF Montréal a 2-0 win.
Here are Five Points from the game...
Timing
Nick Cushing highlighted the timing of Montréal’s second goal as being highly influential on the contest.
Arriving seconds before halftime, it was both perfect for Montréal and terrible for City. Matt Freese was very unlucky not to save Josef Martínez’s low shot, and because of the Venezuelan’s strike, the complexion of the second half was drastically altered.
Montréal were no longer guarding a narrow lead and could cement their game plan to stay compact and break quickly, which only made things harder for City in the final third.
Often in soccer, the timing of a goal can be just as important as scoring one, and City felt that first hand on Saturday.
Short Memories
“We need to have a short memory and move on to the next one,” Kevin O’Toole said after Saturday’s game.
O’Toole went on to highlight the team’s ability to bounce back from a poor result – a quality they showed in September. City suffered a disappointing defeat at home against the Philadelphia Union but bounced back from that to go on a four-game unbeaten run heading into Decision Day.
City now have the perfect opportunity to repeat that process and turn a disappointing result into the launchpad for a memorable run in the playoffs.
Stat Sheet
On a different night, City may have walked away with three points from Stade Saputo.
City had more possession and more shots than Montréal, and that impacted their expected goals for the night. City managed a return of 2.3 to Montréal’s 1.1, indicating a somewhat unlucky night in front of goal.
Whether it was Hannes Wolf’s early chance, Tayvon Gray’s wicked shot, or Keaton Parks glancing header, City still found opportunities against a team that set their stall out to defend early on.
It might not have been their night on Saturday, but hopefully, fortune will favor them in the postseason.
Back to Work
Nick Cushing has consistently highlighted the role of review when suffering a disappointment this season.
On Saturday, he confirmed the team would be back out on the training pitch and in the analysis room to unpick Saturday’s game and the lessons contained within it.
New York City FC have faced FC Cincinnati three times this season and were agonizingly close to a memorable win in Ohio during the Leagues Cup.
Regardless of the result on Saturday, one thing is for sure, City will be back at work this week, looking to make further progress toward their ultimate goal of a second MLS Cup.
Thank You
The 2024 Regular Season took City many miles and through many ups and downs. Throughout it all you backed the team with your passionate support and helped them across the line.
Being back in the postseason was a major goal for the Club in 2024, and while the work is far from over, it is nice to reflect on the positive steps the team has taken this season.
The team knows it will take on FC Cincinnati in a three-game series, and we know before that first whistle, you’ll already be back signing your hearts out like only you can.
¡DALE NEW YORK!
