New York City FC ran out emphatic 4-0 victors over the Colorado Rapids at a wet and wild Yankee Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Here’s Five Things we learned from another unforgettable afternoon in the Bronx…
David’s Day
David Villa literally had himself a day.
By proclamation of the New York City Mayor’s Office, May 19, 2018, will forever belong to NYCFC’s talisman, as recognition for his 400 career goals for club and country.
Of course, he marked it in fitting style… scoring his first-ever goals vs. the Rapids.
Following the pre-game celebration, El Guaje netted one in each half to bookend the scoring in a comfortable 90’ for the Boys in Blue – his 17th multiple goals game for City since becoming the Club’s first-ever signing back in 2015.
That edged him up to 72 MLS goals and 404 for all-time – a phenomenal record for one of the greatest strikers to ever play the game.
Sporting KC are the final team on either conference that David hasn’t notched against before… you wouldn’t bet against him changing that in 2019 as he still looks like a man at the very peak of his powers.
The King of New York.
Mata’s Big Week
David wasn’t the only one in blue to mark a special week by getting on the scoreboard.
Ronald Matarrita celebrated his call-up to the Costa Rica FIFA World Cup squad by scoring his first goal of the season – an opportunistic, looping header after Tim Howard had repelled Jo Inge Berget’s goalbound effort.
It was a clever finish from the wing-back as he judged the arc over Howard to perfection but he owed a huge debt of gratitude to his Norwegian teammate for his fleet feet which created the opportunity.
For Matarrita, there will be one final opportunity to rep the five boroughs in Houston next weekend before he and Rodney Wallace fly out to join Los Ticos on their Russian adventure this summer.
We’re all behind you, boys!
Spreading the Love
The goals are being spread around the team like never before in season four of NYCFC.
City now have three players on 5+ goals after Maxi Moralez thumped in the third from the edge of the area after some excellent work from Villa in the buildup.
The Argentine was largely playing in a more withdrawn role as part of the 3-4-3 favored by Head Coach Patrick Vieira for this one but he still got himself involved further up the field when the occasion called for it.
On preseason, you could see that Maxi was working to improve his finishing and the evidence is there for all to see in 2018 as our resident Spidey keeps consistently weighing in with important goals.
The Entertainers
For a time, it looked like we might be on for NYCFC’s biggest-ever win as City continued to pile forward, long after the game was over as a contest.
While they finished a goal short, this display spoke volumes to the mentality of this squad that they kept their foot on the gas and kept trying to score, rather than holding onto what they had.
That will have delighted their Head Coach, who always emphasizes the importance of playing an attractive, proactive brand of soccer in order to entertain the 21,000+ fans who braved the torrid conditions for this one.
Statement of Intent
If there was any doubt that City had bounced back following their Hudson River Derby defeat two weeks ago, they answered that question this time out.
In the 2-2 draw at LAFC, the squad showed the kind of fight and moxie that Vieira craves but this time, it was all about going back to basics, working hard as a team and expressing individual talents when at the right moments.
In truth, this could have ended up as an even more emphatic scoreline but Patrick and the boys will have been satisfied at getting back to winning ways and climbing back up towards the very tip of the Supporters’ Shield summit oncemore.
Bring on Houston!
