New York City Football Club recorded a convincing 3-0 victory against San Jose Earthquakes on Sunday afternoon.
Here’s Five Points, presented by Etihad Airways.
Welcome Back Maxi
A familiar face returned to the fold on Sunday after missing two games in the form of Maxi Moralez.
The little genius is often instrumental in orchestrating the NYCFC attack, and it didn’t take long for him to show his class and experience on the ball. Moralez served as tempo setter in the final third against San Jose, knowing exactly when to speed the play up and slow the game down.
He capped off an impressive cameo with a fantastic assist for Chris Gloster’s goal. Moralez’s precise diagonal ball freed Gloster in behind, and put the icing on what was a strong overall performance. NYCFC are blessed with a bevy of attacking options, and the return of Moralez to the fold is a huge boost to that.
Welcome back Maxi, it was a joy to watch.
Complete Keaton
There is a case to be made that Keaton Parks is one of the most underrated midfielders in Major League Soccer.
The Texan-native is often the man that stitches together NYCFC’s play from defence to offence, with his passing through the lines a major asset. Rarely flustered on the ball, the start of the 2022 season has also seen him venture forward in the pursuit of more goals. Parks now has two goals in two games after his strike on Sunday, with his most recent effort a crucial one.
His willingness to keep moving after playing the ball into Talles Magno was vital and it saw him earn a return pass before he finished confidently. At a time when discuss the specialized nature of central midfielders, be they defensive or attacking, creators or runners, Parks all round showing underpinned a player with talent and potential in abundance.
If consistency can follow he will be a hard player to ignore in the national team picture, with his teammates already well aware of how much they benefit from his presence.
Tough Test
Head Coach Ronny Deila made no secret of the fact San Jose Earthquakes provided a stern test for his NYCFC side on Sunday.
The Quakes arrived at Yankee Stadium after a comeback victory against Seattle Sounders last time out, and the confidence taken from that result showed itself early on. The visitors were noted for intense high pressing under former coach Matias Almeyda. While that approach was dialed back slightly on Sunday, it still demanded concentration and diligence from the NYCFC backline when playing out.
As Deila explained, it would have been easy for the players to become frustrated and lose their composure after a testing first half, but the team’s mentality and commitment to the plan eventually carried them through the contest. While on paper it may not have seemed the most daunting of the three home games, in reality it was arguably the most difficult, and that makes Sunday’s win all the more impressive.
Find The Corner
Gabriel Pereira may only have had a brief exposure to first team action with NYCFC, but he’s certainly left a strong impression.
The talented winger arrived at the Club from Corinthians this off-season, and presents a fairly unique proposition as a left footed winger that plays on the right. Twice now that has been central to him finding the scoresheet, with Pereira displaying startling accuracy with his finishing. Two well-guided strikes have helped NYCFC to secure six points, and his nimble dribbling has also been something defenders have struggled with.
Ronny Deila said afterward that the youngster is adjusting well to his new surroundings and the demands placed upon him in training. As that transition continues it will be interesting to watch Pereira develop further. Another talented attacking option for the club to utilize, here’s hoping we see a few more of those classy finishes before the season is out.
The First Time
Chris Gloster has needed to be a patient man since arriving at NYCFC.
The combined form of Gudi Thórarinsson and Malte Amundsen have left few opportunities for the youngster to show his quality on the field, but an unfortunate injury to Amundsen on Sunday opened the door for Gloster to shine. Coming in midgame is never easy, but Gloster took to his defensive task admirably and supplemented that with several well-timed runs into the final third. A consistent outlet ball down the left, his crossing and overall play were very impressive, and the soccer gods rewarded that endeavor with his first MLS goal in the 88th minute.
A driving run and well taken finish put the seal on an NYCFC win, and this felt like an important moment in Gloster’s career. Congratulations Chris, you never forget your first, and here’s to many more in Bronx Blue.
