Toronto FC Goals:
NYCFC Goals: Medina 51'
Quick Read
New York City FC kept up the pressure on the Eastern Conference top four with a narrow but deserved 1-0 victory over Toronto FC at the Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field.
Jesùs Medina scored the only goal on 51' to make it two wins in a row for the Boys in Blue vs. Canadian opposition and to keep the pressure on Columbus Crew and Orlando City in the top four on a night where Maxime Chanot made his 100th MLS appearance.
Match Recap
Head Coach Ronny Deila brought Taty Castellanos and Maxime Chanot back into his lineup after the pair served one-match suspensions for yellow card accumulation over the weekend.
City got the job done on that occasion, ousting the Montreal Impact 3-1 at Yankee Stadium, but this time NYC were facing off against a familiar foe who had inflicted defeat on them twice already in 2020.
Returning to East Hartford, the temporary home of Toronto FC, NYCFC made a bright start to the teams' fourth clash of the season, dominating possession from the get-go.
There were numerous chances for Castellanos in the first period, as Maxi Moralez, Keaton Parks and Jesus Medina all combined beautifully to fashion opportunities but Quentin Westberg could not be beaten in the Toronto goal and it was Toronto who went closest in the first half when a rare shot on goal from Nick DeLeon hit the post.
The best opportunity of the first 45' for the road team fell for Taty on 29' but his fiercely struck effort was blocked by Westberg and, as as they did at Red Bull Arena on their last meeting, the teams went in somehow level despite NYCFC's domination.
Fearing a repeat of the suckerpunch encountered with the luckless late penalty in September's match, NYCFC kept up the pressure after the break and it didn't take long for them to get their reward.
The irrepressible Castellanos created the goal, hitting a thunderous shot towards goal which Westberg could only parry out to Medina who did the rest, opening up his body and slotting into the corner for his fourth goal of the regular season - and second vs. Toronto in 2020.
That put the Paraguayan joint-top of the goalscoring rankings for the regular season along with Anton Tinnerholm, and he could've gone out on top on his own if his volley at the back post had been on target from a cross midway through the second half, but unfortunately for Jesus, his shot went the wrong side of the post when he might've scored.
Acevedo, Sebastien Ibeagha and Gudi Thórarinsson were introduced as the second half wore on with TFC pushing on for the equalizer and NYC still carrying a threat on the break.
It was City who looked the most dangerous on their breaks as the hosts' committed men forward, but there would be no more scoring, meaning Deila's men held on for all three points, levelling the seasonal head-to-head vs. Toronto at 2-2.
Next up, it's a Hudson River Derby in the Bronx on Sunday as City step up their quest for a top four spot.
Heineken Man of the Match
As voted on Twitter: Jesús Medina
How We Lined Up
What's Next
New York City FC take on the Red Bulls on Sunday, November 1 at Yankee Stadium with kickoff taking place at 7:00PM ET (Yes Network / NYCFC.com/Radio).
