It was a big team performance.
Those were the words of New York City FC coach Patrick Vieira after a comprehensive 3-1 win over Atlanta United FC at Yankee Stadium Sunday.
“I’m really happy,” Vieira said in the post-match press conference. “I think today’s performance, when you look at the team we played against today, the quality they have up front, you look at the number of chances we concede, you can say this was a big, big team performance.”
Up front, David Villa looked every bit the world-class player he is, scoring a magnificent goal on 17 minutes, helping set up Maxi Moralez’s second goal of the season just past the hour mark and being a threat every time he touched the ball.
“David is an important player for us and when he played the way he played today, he lifts the team,” Vieira said. “He’s one of the leaders. When he plays like he did today, the confidence builds in the team and that’s why its important for him to be at this level every single game.”
Rodney Wallace’s effort was equally massive. After being denied three times in a matter of seconds to start the second half, he scored what proved to be the game-winner on the hour mark after setting up Villa’s first-half tally.
“There’s a reason behind why we bring him to our football club,” Vieira said. “His work ethic is fantastic, he’s putting the team before himself, he’s doing the dirty work for team and at the end he gets rewarded with the goal. He’s worked really hard."
Then there was the unchanged midfield trio of Yangel Herrera, Moralez and Alex Ring, who were instrumental on both sides of the ball.
“I think you look at the way we played, the way we worked out of possession and that will tell you how well those two played because Atlanta didn’t create so many chances today,” Vieira said. “I think because Ring, Yangel and even Maxi worked really well in the midfield. The way we protected our back four was really good.”
And how about that back four and goalkeeper Sean Johnson? The best chances for Atlanta United, outside of a wonder strike by Carlos Carmona in the 39th minute, came on set pieces.
“They were brilliant today,” Vieira said. “You look at Ben [Sweat] and Ethan [White], confidence building up game after game and the partnership between Alex Callens and Maxime [Chanot] is getting better and better. Sean at the back gives a lot of confidence to the team.”
