Match Recap

New England Revolution Goals: Wood 40’

New York City FC Goals: Rodríguez 35’ (PK)

Quick Read

New York City FC recorded a penalty shootout victory against New England Revolution on Friday night. City took the lead from the penalty spot in the 35^th minute thanks to an audacious Panenka from Santiago Rodríguez. Bobby Wood equalized for the visitors five minutes later. A stalemate after 90 minutes took the game to penalties. After 12 spot kicks the game was level. A miss from Mark Anthony-Kaye handed City the chance to advance, with Justin Haak converting to set up a meeting with Tigres in the next round.

The arrival of the knockout stages of Leagues Cup pitted New York City FC against the New England Revolution.

A meeting at Gilette Stadium was City’s reward for claiming second place in their group, with Liga MX outfit Tigres awaiting the winner.

Head Coach Nick Cushing made a number of changes to the team that faced off against FC Cincinnati on Monday, with Matt Freese, Hannes Wolf, Agustín Ojeda, and Keaton Parks all restored to the team.

The players were forced to contend with the elements during the first half – a combination of rain and driving wind shrouding Gillette Stadium.

City’s first real look at goal fell to Hannes Wolf in the 22nd minute after Ojeda laid the ball back to him at the top of the box. Unfortunately, the Austrian’s shot flew over the bar.

New England thought they had the lead in the 29th minute after Bobby Wood fired a long-range drive past Matt Freese – the forward ultimately denied by the offside flag.

The game would be turned on its head four minutes later when New England midfielder Matt Polster tripped up Santiago Rodríguez inside the penalty area.

Rodríguez opted to take the resulting spot kick and produced an audacious Panenka to give City the lead.

That advantage would be short-lived, however, with Wood able to head a Brandon Bye cross past Freese in the 40th minute.

The forward would be handed a chance to give New England the lead on the stroke of halftime after being found free inside the penalty area, but his shot from 12 yards out skewed wide of the goal.
Neither side opted to make changes heading into the second half, but there was an early penalty shout for the hosts after the referee deemed Ojeda had handled the ball inside the area.

However, after further consultation with VAR, the referee’s initial decision was overturned.

At the other end, City almost retook the lead in the 52nd minute after Jovan Mijatović wriggled free in the area and poked an effort toward goal from a tight angle that was well-smothered by Aljaž Ivačič.

Cushing opted to make two changes early into the half as Maxi Moralez and Justin Haak replaced Parks and Wolf. A further change would follow in the 65th minute as Mijatović was replaced by Alonso Martínez.

The Costa Rican was handed a great chance to give City the lead just minutes after coming on, but he was unable to poke the ball past Ivačič from close range.

Ivačič was playing a pivotal role in keeping the game level – and in the 75th minute, he tipped a fierce drive from Rodríguez onto the bar and behind for a corner.

In the 81st minute, Cushing withdrew Birk Risa from the game and introduced Julián Fernández.

Moralez was proving to be a constant threat on the ball as his influence on the game grew. In the 88th minute, he pinged a precise cross onto the head of Martínez, but he could not direct the header on target.

With neither side able to secure a second goal that took the game to penalties. Both sides were flawless up until Mark Anthony-Kaye missed New England's seventh penalty. That afforded Justin Haak the chance to put City through, which he did with an emphatic spot kick - City setting up a meeting with Tigres thanks to a 7-6 win on penalties.